MOSCOW, September 2 (RIA Novosti) - A Soyuz-U space carrier has successfully put a Kosmos-series satellite into orbit, a spokesman for the Russia's Federal Space Agency said Friday.

The spacecraft was launched from the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan to orbit a Russian Defense Ministry satellite, the spokesman said.

Russia currently has a military space group of more than 50 spacecraft of various purposes. They include reconnaissance satellites for taking pictures with high picture resolution, special space communications satellites and satellites to help warships and land units navigate.