Posted: Fri, Jul 21, 2006, 9:00 AM ET (1300 GMT)
A Molniya rocket launched a Russian military satellite early Friday. The Molniya-M rocket lifted off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia at 12:20 am EDT (0420 GMT) Friday and placed the Kosmos 2422 satellite into orbit. Russian reports did not disclose the purpose of the satellite other than it will serve the Russian military. Western sources have suggested that the spacecraft may be an Oko-class early warning satellite.

Related Links:

•  RIA Novosti article
•  AFP article
•  MosNews article