A Russian Proton-M carrier rocket has delivered into orbit the U.S. telecommunications satellite DirecTV-12, the Russian Space Agency Roscosmos said.

This was Russia's last launch this year from the Baikonur Space Center in Kazakhstan.

"The launch was carried out without incidents," a Roscosmos spokesman said.

The DirecTV satellite operator had a contract with Russian-U.S. joint venture International Launch Services (ILS) to launch the DirecTV-12 on board a Proton-M carrier rocket to expand its existing satellite grouping.

The Boeing-made DirecTV-12 satellite, weighing around 6 metric tons, will become part of DirecTV satellite grouping and provide high-definition TV, Internet and communications services to subscribers in the United States, in particular for Alaska and Hawaii.

All Proton rockets are made by Russia's Khrunichev Space and Research Center.

MOSCOW, December 29 (RIA Novosti)