Russia launched two satellites on Sunday, one of them designed by Israel and carrying sophisticated communications systems.

A Proton-M carrier rocket blasted off from the Kazakhstan space center carrying Russia’s Luch-5A spacecraft and the Amos-5 satellite.

Israel’s satellite, which was manufactured in Russia, will join the satellite grouping of Amos-2 and Amos-3 to provide various satellite services to customers in the Middle East, Central and Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Africa. Amos-4 is still being built and is to be launched next year, while the advanced Amos-6 is planned for launching in 2014.

Amos-5 is to function as a remote transmission and broadcast hub for Internet providers, television channels and telecom companies.

It will not be known until Sunday night Israeli time if the launch was a complete success.