A Russian Soyuz rocket lifting off, carrying the Meridian satellite. Photo: Roscosmos

The Russian military launched a Soyuz-2.1 carrier rocket today, carrying the Meridian communications satellite, according to the Defense Ministry’s Zvezda broadcasting service.

The rocket lifted off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Russia’s northern Arkhangelsk region at 8:56 a.m. Moscow time, and the satellite separated from the rocket nine minutes later. This was the third launch of the Soyuz-2.1 rocket from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome this year.

The previous launch took place on July 10, when four military satellites were placed into the orbit. Another Soyuz-2.1 rocket carrying a Glonass navigation satellite was launched on May 27.