"On Thursday, 19 May, at 11:03 a.m. [08:03 GMT], a combat crew of the Space Forces of the Aerospace Forces successfully launched a Soyuz-2.1a medium-class carrier rocket with a spacecraft in the interests of the Russian Defence Ministry," the ministry said.
The launch was conducted as planned. At 11.06, the rocket was accepted for escort by ground control centre.
"The means of the ground-based automated spacecraft control complex of the Russian orbital group monitored the launch and flight of a space rocket," the ministry added.
The ministry later confirmed that the satellite has been successfully put into orbit, with ground units of the Titov Main Test and Space Systems Control Center taking over escorting the satellite as scheduled.
After reaching the target orbit, the satellite was assigned a serial number Kosmos-2556. The defence ministry is maintaining "a stable telemetry connection" with the satellite, whose onboard systems are operating normally, the ministry added.
After reaching the target orbit, the satellite was assigned a serial number Kosmos-2556. The defence ministry is maintaining "a stable telemetry connection" with the satellite, whose onboard systems are operating normally, the ministry added.