The rocket put a Kosmos communications satellite into orbit for the Defence Ministry.
The President congratulated the space centre personnel on the successful launch. The Commander-in-Chief noted that the work had been done professionally and showed a high level of preparation and good administrative organisation.
Before the launch, Mr Putin, Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov, Commander of the Space Forces Anatoly Perminov and Commander of the Space Centre Anatoly Bashlakov viewed the launch site. The President went to the observation post where he watched the rocket launch.
The four-stage rocket Molniya-M can put satellites into orbit at an altitude from 700 to 40,000 kilometres. After the successful launch of the Molniya rocket, President Putin viewed the new launch site for the Soyuz-2 rocket.