28 December 2016, 08:37 GMT
MOSCOW (Sputnik) — According to the minister, the infrastructure on Plesetsk Cosmodrome has significantly improved in recent years, currently allowing Russia to launch satellites from the spaceport for military and dual purpose usage.
"The work on modernization of Plesetsk Cosmodrome's infrastructure will continue in order to enlarge Russian orbital grouping of spacecraft," Shoigu said.
The Plesetsk Cosmodrome is a launch site developed by the Soviet Union primarily for intercontinental ballistic missile tests in the late 1950s. The spaceport is located in Russia's northern region of Arkhangelsk. Since 2011, the cosmodrome has undergone facilities modernization. In 2016, a total of five spacecraft were launched from Plesetsk, in comparison to 11 from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, which Russia has leased until 2050.
