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On February 5, 2026, the Soyuz 2.1b rocket launched from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia, carrying at least one military satellite for the Russian Aerospace Forces. The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed a single satellite, designated Kosmos 2600, while US Space Force detected nine objects in orbit, suggesting the main satellite may have deployed smaller ones.

This marks Russia's first rocket launch of the year amid a decline in its space program. Three additional launches are planned in Q1 2026, including a test flight of the Soyuz 5 rocket.