MOSCOW, December 27. /TASS/. The Briz-KM upper stage with the Gonets-M communication satellite and a military satellite has separated from the Rokot carrier rocket at the assigned time, the Russian Defense Ministry told reporters on Friday.

"The Briz-KM upper stage with the Gonets-M communication satellite and the military satellite launched for the Russian Defense Ministry, has routinely separated from the second stage of the Rokot carrier rocket at the assigned time - 2:17 a.m.," the ministry said.

The ministry added that the satellites will be delivered to their assigned orbits by the Briz-KM upper stage in several hours.

The Rokot carrier rocket with the Gonets-M communication satellite and a military satellite has been launched from the Plesetsk cosmodrome in the Arkhangelsk region at 2:11 a.m. on December 27 by the Russian Aerospace Forces.

This was the last launch of the Rokot rocket, as it will later be modernized to the Rokot-M version.