A Russian satellite posed a threat to a spacecraft whose images are used by Ukrainian intelligence

The Russian military satellite “Kosmos-2612” came within 26 meters of the ICEYE-X36 satellite. The Finnish company ICEYE is collaborating with Ukraine by providing satellite imagery for our intelligence needs.

This is stated in a report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), which cites data from the monitoring service satellitemap.space.

According to the service, at 02:06 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) on October 19, the Russian satellite was approximately 640 meters behind ICEYE-X36 and two kilometers higher than it. At 16:07 UTC, the distance between the satellites had narrowed to 26 meters.

According to CSIS, in late September 2026, “Kosmos-2612” began a series of maneuvers that allowed it to return to the same orbital plane as ICEYE-X36, and subsequently approach its altitude.

On October 12, the Russian satellite adjusted its velocity by approximately 27.9 meters per second. This allowed it to adjust its orbit to an altitude of about 555 kilometers—nearly the same as that of ICEYE-X36.

According to the latest data from satellitemap.space, “Kosmos-2612” is at an altitude of about 547 kilometers above Earth, while ICEYE-X36 is at an altitude of about 545 kilometers.

It is worth noting that the Russian “Rassvet” satellite system could significantly expand the capabilities for controlling strike assets. According to expert Sergey Flash, satellite communications will allow Russian operators to directly control drones and missiles, which could pose serious threats.

Earlier, Flesh explained why Russia is collecting video footage of strikes carried out by Geran drones.