The Soyuz launcher has three lower stages (third stage seen here), while the Fregat upper stage has a fairing which houses Venus Express, attached via a conically shaped adapter.

Fregat will be ignited twice. The first ignition will move the Fregat-Venus Express into an almost circular 'parking orbit' from the sub-orbital trajectory into which it is delivered by the Soyuz third stage. The second ignition will send Venus Express into its interplanetary trajectory.