Press service chief Col. Ilshat Baichurin has said that since the beginning of the summer, 13 space vehicles have been put into orbit by eight carrier rockets. Six of them were launched from Baikonur in Kazakhstan and two from Plesetsk.

Five launches have been carried out directly by the strategic rocket forces' crews--three from Baikonur and two from Plesetsk. Another three launches sponsored by the Russian Space and Aviation Agency took place with the participation of the strategic rocket forces.

"In the estimate of specialists, this period of space launches is the most intensive in the post-Soviet era," Baichurin said.

Russian and Ukrainian Launch Industry Weathers Economic Woes
Moscow - June 20, 2000 - The Ukrainian and Russian launch industry is continuing to hold its own while seeing future opportunities for expansion with the end of restrictions on Ukrainian commercial launchers.

It will be the first testing of a ground-based Topol-M system, military sources told Interfax on Friday. Earlier the missile was only launched from silos.

The test is expected to be conducted in Plesetsk, north Russia, and the missile will have to hit a target at a test site on Kamchatka.

The sources confirmed reports that the test was initially scheduled for July 20-21 but later postponed without any official reasons announced.

Sources said the test launch should be conducted before July 27 when the Russian Security Council chaired by President Vladimir Putin is expected to discuss plans for reforming the Armed Forces, including the Strategic Rocket Force.