Russia successfully launches military satellite

MOSCOW - Russia has successfully launched a Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket carrying a military satellite, the Russian Defense Ministry said Friday.

The rocket lifted off from the Plesetsk spaceport in Russia's northern Arkhangelsk Region at 10:31 Moscow time (0731 GMT), the ministry's Zvezda broadcasting service said.

This is the third launch the Soyuz-2 launch vehicle has carried out this year from Plesetsk, with its previous launch taking place in March, according to Zvezda.