MOSCOW, March 16. /TASS/. The Angara-1.2 light-class rocket successfully blasted off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome on Sunday, placing military satellites into orbit, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.

The rocket lifted off at 1:50 p.m. Moscow time (10:50 a.m. GMT). The launch was conducted to support the interests of the Russian Defense Ministry.

"At the estimated time, the spacecraft were successfully inserted into their designated orbits and are now under the control of ground facilities of the Aerospace Forces," the news release indicated.

The launch proceeded smoothly, with the rocket being monitored by the ground automated control system of the German Titov Main Test Space Center. "Stable telemetry communication was established and maintained with the spacecraft, and their onboard systems are functioning normally," the Defense Ministry reported.

The launch was observed by trainees from the Kemerovo Presidential Cadet School, the Tyumen Presidential Cadet School, the Omsk Cadet Military Corps, and the Yekaterinburg Suvorov Military School. Prior to the launch, the students had the opportunity to tour the Angara-1.2 rocket launch pad.