Russia to launch 6 satellites for Saudis

Russia is to launch six satellites for Saudi Arabia this year, officials from both countries said today.

Russia is to launch six satellites for Saudi Arabia this year, officials from both countries said today.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the plans at a meeting with Saudi businessmen in Riyadh during a visit to boost trade between the world's top two oil producers.

A Saudi official said the Saudi-built satellites would be launched in the first half of this year.

He said five of them would be for telecommunications and data transfer; it was not clear what the sixth satellite was intended for.

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Saudi Arabia already has several media and telecommunications satellites.