Category
Latest news

Russia Launches Unidentified Satellites in Military Space Operation

2 min read
Authors
Russia Launches Unidentified Satellites in Military Space Operation
A Smart Dragon-3 carrier rocket carrying Tianyi-41 and other satellites blasts off from the waters near the city of Haiyang, China, on September 24, 2024. (Source: Getty Images)

Russia has launched unidentified satellites into space on behalf of its Ministry of Defense, according to their official telegram channel on February 5.

The launch was carried out by the Russian Aerospace Forces using a Soyuz-2.1v rocket  from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in the Arkhangelsk region. The facility, also known as the 1st State Test Cosmodrome, is used for both space launches and military exercises.

The purpose of the satellites has not been disclosed, but they are typically used for reconnaissance, communications, navigation, or early warning systems.

In October 2024, Russia conducted strategic nuclear force exercises at Plesetsk, including a test launch of the Yars intercontinental ballistic missile.

The site was also the location of a failed test of the Sarmat missile, which exploded and damaged the launch pad. Open-source intelligence analysts suggest the incident occurred on September 19 or 20, 2024, leaving a crater approximately 62 meters wide.

Alongside other Russian launch sites, Plesetsk is used to send various spacecraft into low Earth orbit. Most launches serve the interests of the Russian Ministry of Defense, although the cosmodrome has previously collaborated on projects with the European Space Agency.

Official information on the latest launch was minimal. The announcement only stated that a "Soyuz-2.1v light-class launch vehicle was launched with spacecraft in the interests of the Russian Ministry of Defense."

On December 25, 2024 an Azerbaijani passenger plane that crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, was hit by a Russian Pantsir-S missile , according to an Azerbaijani government source.

See all

The Soyuz-2.1v is a lightweight, two-stage launch vehicle developed by Russia. It is a variant of the Soyuz-2 rocket, designed for smaller payloads and military satellites.

The Pantsir-S is a Russian short-range air defense system combining surface-to-air missiles and anti-aircraft guns. Designed to intercept aircraft, drones, and missiles, it is used for close-range protection of strategic sites and military assets.