Russia puts new military satellite into orbit

Russia's Defense Ministry on Friday reported that it had placed a new military satellite into orbit.

The satellite, launched on a Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome about 800 kilometers (497 miles) north of Moscow, the ministry said in a statement.

Ground control took over the spacecraft once it reached its target orbit and on schedule, it said, adding that communication was stable and onboard systems "functioning normally."