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[INTERNATIONAL] · Russia, United States, Finland, Ukraine · 5 sources

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Russian satellite Kosmos 2612 performs close maneuvers near US-registered ICEYE satellite

Kosmos 2612 ICEYE-X36 space warfare satellite reconnaissance low Earth orbit

The Russian military satellite Kosmos 2612 conducted a series of deliberate maneuvers in low Earth orbit, approaching the ICEYE-X36 radar satellite at extremely close range. The ICEYE-X36 is a US-registered satellite operated by the American division of the Finnish company ICEYE, which provides critical reconnaissance data to the Ukrainian military.

On October 18, 2026, the proximity between the two objects reached a historic low. While orbital data varies due to measurement uncertainties, some estimates, such as those from the analysis portal Cosmos Radar, suggest the distance may have dropped to as little as 26 meters. This follows a period of several days where the Russian satellite maintained a near-formation flight with the commercial craft.

The United States condemned the maneuver at the United Nations, describing it as ‘dangerous and reckless.’ In contrast, Russia has characterized its space activities as peaceful. Experts note that while Russian satellites have previously approached commercial infrastructure, this specific incident represents an unprecedented level of proximity and duration.

Entities

Iceye · KOSMOS 2612 · Kosmos-2612 · Russia · Ukraine · United States

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

Sources

Novi rat zvijezda iznad Zemlje: Ruski satelit prišao ukrajinskoj letjelici [www.bl-portal.com]
Russian Military Satellite Closes In On US Radar Satellite Linked To Ukraine [www.thesilo.ca]
Kosmos 2612 si avvicina a un satellite USA usato per l’Ucraina [www.tecnoandroid.it]
Russlands Manöver im All alarmiert Forscher: „Könnte Generalprobe sein“ [www.abendblatt.de]
Russisches Manöver im All alarmiert Forscher: „Könnte Generalprobe sein“ [www.morgenpost.de]