Russian Rocket Reportedly Crashes

21 June 2005 (RFE/RL) -- Reports say a Russian Molniya rocket carrying a military communications satellite has crashed in Siberia today shortly after takeoff.

Officials are quoted by Russian news agencies as saying the rocket, launched from the Plesetsk space center, suffered an engine failure and fell in Tyumen Oblast.

The rocket was supposed to place the Molniya-3K satellite into orbit.

(ITAR-TASS)