A Russian military satellite has reportedly maneuvered close to a US-registered spacecraft linked to Ukraine’s war effort, raising concerns that Moscow could be seeking to monitor Western intelligence activities in space.
The Russian satellite, known as Kosmos 2612, has been tracking ICEYE-X36, a commercial radar-imaging satellite operated by Finnish-founded company ICEYE.
Dutch satellite tracker Marco Langbroek said the two spacecraft may have passed within a few hundred meters of each other on Oct. 18. However, uncertainty in available orbital data makes it difficult to establish the exact distance between them.
According to Langbroek, the Russian satellite carried out unusual maneuvers over several weeks, changing its orbit to closely follow the trajectory of ICEYE-X36.
The incident has drawn particular attention because of the commercial satellite’s connection to Ukraine. ICEYE provides radar imagery that can help military forces monitor troop movements and equipment, including at night and through cloud cover.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies has warned that such maneuvers could allow Russia to monitor, disrupt or potentially damage the commercial spacecraft.
However, there is no confirmed evidence that an attack occurred. Publicly available data does not indicate that ICEYE-X36 was struck or forced out of its orbit, Langbroek said in a public statement.
Russia has not publicly explained the purpose of Kosmos 2612’s maneuvers.
