MOSCOW, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- A military satellite launched early Thursday has successfully entered orbit, the Defense Ministry said.

The satellite, aboard a Proton-M heavy carrier rocket, was launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 03:18 Moscow time (00:18 GMT). The satellite successfully separated from the rocket at around 12:19 Moscow time (09:19 GMT), said Space Forces spokesman Alexei Zolotukhin.

"Contact is steady, and the onboard equipment operates well," he said.

The launch was Russia's first this year.

Space Forces Commander Oleg Ostapenko called the satellite "a new project that will help significantly increase the capabilities of the space communication system."

The RIA Novosti news agency reported that Russia runs a network of about 70 military satellites capable of reconnaissance and missile early warnings.