MOSCOW, August 17. /TASS/. A Proton-M carrier rocket with a military satellite has been launched from the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan, the press service of the Russian defense ministry said on Thursday.

"A Proton-M heavy-lift launch vehicle with a defense ministry’s satellite has been successfully launched from the Baikonur space center," the press service said.

The rocket was launched under control of commander of the space troops and deputy commander-in-chief of the Russian aerospace forces, Colonel General Alexander Golovko.

"All pre-launch operations were conducted in a routine mode. The launch and the flight of the rocket were monitored by the ground-based automated control system," the press service said.