Russia accused of having rehearsed an attack on a Finnish satellite

The Russian military satellite Kosmos-2612 dangerously approached the X36 radar satellite operated by Finnish company ICEYE, in a maneuver that could have been a rehearsal for an orbital attack. The approach took place on October 17, and the incident was observed by U.S. company LeoLabs and Dutch specialist Marco Langbroek.

The distance between the two satellites was estimated at between one and five kilometers before Kosmos-2612 moved away to approximately 400 kilometers. U.S. analyst Greg Gillinger said such a maneuver was not necessary for surveillance or radio interference and could have tested Russia’s ability to target the satellite.

Two other Russian satellites are approaching the orbit of another ICEYE spacecraft, X37. The Finnish company confirmed that X36 remains operational and said its network can withstand the loss of individual satellites.

U.S. officials and experts described the maneuvers as dangerous and as a form of “space intimidation,” warning that a collision could produce large amounts of orbital debris. Kosmos-2612 is part of a group of six Russian military satellites launched in April 2026. ICEYE provides Ukraine with radar imagery, including for operations conducted at night or in conditions of heavy cloud cover, while Moscow has warned that commercial satellites involved in supporting Kyiv could become targets.