Russian satellite burns up as rocket fails

Russia's most advanced telecommunications satellite is destroyed after the rocket carrying it burned up before reaching orbit 

An unmanned Russian rocket carrying an advanced telecommunications satellite failed to reach its designated orbit and crashed shortly after its launch on Friday.

The Proton-M type booster rocket was launched from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan but an "emergency situation" prevented it going into orbit, Russian space agency Roscosmos said.

Russian media said the problem arose with the third stage about nine minutes into the flight at a height of about 94 miles and parts of the satellite fell into the Pacific Ocean or were scattered over Siberia and Russia's Far East.

No casualties or other damage were reported.

The Express-AM4R satellite which was being carried into orbit is the most advanced telecommunications satellite used by Russia, designed to provide affordable Internet access to people in remote parts of the country.