Russian Kosmos 2612 satellite passes near Finnish-tracked Iceye X36 probe

Kosmos 2612, launched from Plesetsk in April, has been executing unusual orbital maneuvers that brought it near Iceye’s X36 radar satellite, part of a commercial constellation built by Finnish firm Iceye and its U.S. subsidiary. The satellites operate at roughly 550 km altitude in low-Earth orbit, traveling at about 27 000 km per hour. Orbital Radar’s calculations and Leolabs’ experts flagged the encounter as noteworthy, though the exact intent of the Russian satellite is not confirmed.

Delft University of Technology specialist Marco Langbroek described the episode as a “cat-and-mouse” scenario. The X36 platform can image the Earth’s surface regardless of lighting or cloud cover and is reportedly used by Ukrainian forces, though officials could not verify whether this specific satellite was involved. Earlier this year, Russian satellites also approached Western radar assets used for Ukrainian reconnaissance, raising broader concerns about space safety.