Russian Military May Have Rehearsed Attack on Finnish Satellite, Specialist Warns
In mid-October, a Russian military satellite approached X36, which is operated by the Finnish company ICEYE and provides radar imagery to Western governments and militaries, including Ukraine.
A Russian military satellite that approached a Western commercial one in mid-October may have been practicing an attack, according to a space specialist. The maneuvering of the Russian Cosmos 2612 satellite, which was intentionally close to the Finnish ICEYE X36 satellite, is being viewed as a rehearsal by some analysts. This is one of the closest known approaches between a Russian military spacecraft and a commercial satellite in low-altitude orbit, according to three space specialists.
The incident has raised concerns over the vulnerability of commercial satellite networks, which have become increasingly crucial for military operations. Other Russian satellites are now following the path of other ICEYE spacecraft, including X37. Space commanders and analysts warn that such close approaches could be used for inspection, observation, or interference, depending on the capabilities of the spacecraft involved.
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