SPACE OPERATIONS:

Russia will now launch all of its military satellites
from it’s Plesetsk facility, near the Arctic circle. While Plesetsk’s
location is good for some types of launches (high inclination, polar, and
highly elliptical orbits), the place is frozen most of the year, and more
expensive to operate because of the weather. But since the breakup of the
Soviet Union in 1991, the other major launch site, Baikonur, is in the
newly minted Central Asian nation of Kazakhstan, has become more expensive
and difficult to use. Russia has leased the Baikonur complex from
Kazakhstan since 1991, but this has already led to some disputes over
lease terms, and the danger to locals from launch accidents. The Russians
need the Baikonur launch site, as it is very efficient for some types of
launchers (geostationary, lunar, planetary, and ocean surveillance
missions, as well as all manned missions). So, to be on the safe side, all
military launches will move north. Plesetsk is currently the world’s
busiest launch center, and has averaged about 35 launches a year since
1966.

From FYEO