The Soyuz-U launch vehicle is intended to place civilian, research and special-purpose spacecraft as well as Soyuz and Progress spaceships into low Earth orbit. In terms of the number of launches and reliability, Soyuz-U LV is a world leader among medium-class launch vehicles. It can lift-off from launch pads currently operational at the Plesetsk and Baikonur Cosmodromes.

The Soyuz-U LV is designed as a system with parallel separation of the lateral rocket engine assemblies upon the first stage burnout, and transverse separation of the second stage engine assembly after burnout. Each LV assembly has its own propulsion unit using non-toxic propellants (oxygen and kerosene). Liquid propellant engines of the core section and lateral assemblies are ignited on the ground, which enables engine burn transient control and launch abortion in the event of malfunction.

This procedure increases safety of operation. The third stage (Assembly 'I') propulsion system consists of a four-chamber singleburn engine and four gimbaled steering nozzles (used for three-axis flight control).