Russian cargo ship blasts off for ISS

A Russian space cargo ship carrying about 2.5 tonnes of supplies has blasted off for the International Space Station.

The Progress-class ship was launched from the Russian-operated Baikonur spaceport in Kazakhstan, Russian space agency Roscosmos said in a statement.

The ship was scheduled to arrive at the station in two days, with the docking guided by Russian cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin.

There are three crew on the station: Yurchikhin and US astronaut Jack Fischer, who arrived in April, and US commander Peggy Whitson, who has been aboard for half a year.