Curated by Vishaljeet Singh, Lisbon, Portugal
Updated: 5 November 2026, 9:43 PM IST
A Russian military satellite’s close approach to a Western commercial spacecraft has raised fresh concerns about the vulnerability of satellites used by governments and militaries. A Reuters report published Thursday said two related Russian satellites were also moving toward the orbital path of another spacecraft operated by Finnish company ICEYE.
The earlier encounter involved Cosmos 2612 and ICEYE’s X36 radar-imaging satellite. Space analysts told Reuters that Cosmos 2612 closed to within about one kilometre of X36 around mid-October; some analysts estimated the distance may have been only a few hundred metres or less. X36 supplies radar imagery to Western governments and militaries, including Ukraine.
Experts disagree on what the manoeuvre means
US Under Secretary of State Thomas DiNanno described the mid-October manoeuvre as “consistent with on-orbit weapons operations,” Reuters reported. Greg Gillinger, a space analyst who tracks Russian satellites, called the approach a possible attack rehearsal and said he believed the close pass was not necessary for ordinary intelligence collection or electronic interference.
That assessment is not a confirmed finding about Russia’s intent. Germany’s space commander, Major General Michael Traut, said close approaches could be used for inspection, observation or interference, depending on a spacecraft’s capabilities. He cautioned that the ability to conduct such manoeuvres does not by itself prove that an attack is being prepared, and that public orbital data cannot establish the purpose.
Two more Russian spacecraft are being watched
Reuters reported that two satellites related to Cosmos 2612 were drifting toward the orbital path of another ICEYE spacecraft, X37. US space-tracking firm COMSPOC also said the pair were becoming increasingly well positioned to approach X37. The report did not say that either spacecraft had already made a close approach to X37.
Russia’s Defence Ministry did not respond to Reuters’ request for comment. Moscow has previously warned that commercial Western satellites assisting Ukraine could be considered legitimate targets for retaliation. ICEYE’s US operations chief said X36 remained productive and that the company’s satellite constellation was resilient if one spacecraft were disrupted.
The episode highlights the growing overlap between commercial space infrastructure and national security. Commercial satellites provide imagery and communications that can support military operations, while the same spacecraft also serve civilian and government users. That dual use can make close-proximity manoeuvres especially sensitive, even when their intent is uncertain.
Source: Reuters report on Russian satellite manoeuvres and commercial spacecraft.
#Russia #SpaceSecurity #Satellites #Ukraine #Geopolitics #InternationalPolitics #WorldNews
