Russian space chiefs launch a secret ‘military payload’ into orbit around Earth

Kremlin space chiefs have launched a secret military spacecraft into orbit around the Earth using Russia’s new Angara 1.2 rocket.

The launch took place at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in the town of Mirny in the north-western Russian region of Arkhangelsk Oblast on 29 April.

A statement said that a space ‘combat crew’ had launched the unidentified payload for the Russian Ministry of Defence.

It is understood that it was probably launching a top secret new radar military satellite system into space, for use in the war in Ukraine.