Russian military satellites maneuver near ICEYE radar satellite

Russian military satellites have conducted a series of maneuvers in orbit that closely resemble pursuit behavior toward a commercial intelligence satellite. In May, four Russian Cosmos satellites (designated 2610 through 2613) adjusted their trajectories to align with the orbital plane of ICEYE-X36, a radar-imaging satellite operated by the Finnish-American company ICEYE. ICEYE, which provides radar imagery to Ukraine and Western governments, responded by maneuvering its own spacecraft, which was followed by further adjustments from the Russian satellites.

Major General Michael Traut, commander of Germany’s Space Command, described the activity as “chasing” in orbit. He warned that such capabilities pose a significant risk to large-scale commercial satellite networks, specifically mentioning SpaceX’s Starlink. The US Space Force confirmed the involvement of the Russian spacecraft. These developments highlight growing concerns regarding orbital interference and the potential for military spacecraft to undermine critical satellite services without engaging in overt kinetic attacks.