New Delhi: A Russian military satellite has manoeuvred into close proximity with a commercial radar-imaging satellite linked to Ukraine's military, raising concerns that Moscow could be preparing to monitor, interfere with or potentially threaten Western space assets.
Russia's Kosmos 2612 has adjusted its orbit to match that of ICEYE-X36, a satellite operated by Finland-founded ICEYE whose radar-imaging capabilities have supported Ukraine during its war with Russia. The close encounter was captured by S2A Systems, an operator of Space Situational Awareness systems.
The unusual manoeuvres have drawn scrutiny from space-security specialists, who note that the Russian spacecraft's intentions remain unclear. Orbital tracking analyses show that Kosmos 2612 carried out a series of manoeuvres beginning on September 30, followed by further adjustments in October.
These movements brought the Russian satellite into a similar orbital plane and altitude as ICEYE-X36, enabling it to approach the commercial spacecraft closely. Tracking data reported by Axios placed the Russian satellite roughly about five kilometres from ICEYE-X36 on October 17, with subsequent estimates suggesting an even tighter encounter.
ICEYE operates synthetic aperture radar satellites capable of capturing images of Earth's surface at night and through cloud cover, making them valuable for military intelligence such as tracking troop movements and strategic locations. While Ukraine has utilized ICEYE's capabilities and maintains a cooperation agreement through its Ministry of Defence, it has not been independently confirmed that ICEYE-X36 is actively providing direct support.
Matching another satellite's orbital plane is a major manoeuvre requiring fuel, which allows a spacecraft to approach its target with minimal additional expenditure. While such rendezvous and proximity operations can serve legitimate functions, space-security researchers warn they can also facilitate close inspection or potentially hostile actions, such as interference or anti-satellite attacks.
These possibilities remain speculative, and there has been no public confirmation that ICEYE-X36 has suffered any damage or disruption. The incident underscores the growing vulnerability of commercial spacecraft as they play an increasingly vital role in modern military intelligence and geopolitical conflicts.