New Russian rocket carrier to be launched by tear-end

The space forces of Russia are planning to launch at the end of this year a new space rocket system - Soyuz-2 - from the Plesetsk cosmodrome in the Arkhangelsk region, north of European Russia, Vladimir Popovkin, commander of the space forces, said on Wednesday.

"In the spring of this year we also accepted the Okno optical-electronic system for service and put it on operational status in Tajikistan while putting the Moment radio engineering systems on pilot operational status," he added.

According to Popovkin, since the beginning of the year the space forces have launched four spacecraft of military type and four intercontinental ballistic missiles on behalf of the strategic missile forces of Russia.

"Combat crews of the space forces also ensured and carried out six launches of spacecraft as part of Russia's federal space programme, international cooperation programmes, and commercial programmes," Popovkin remarked.

Speaking of the condition of early warning systems, the commander pointed out that "the systems are combat capable and ready for use."

"Our early warning systems have monitored, since the beginning of the year, four launches of our ballistic missiles, and two launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles abroad. This points to their full efficiency and readiness," the commander added.