A Russian military satellite came critically close to a U.S.-Finnish satellite that may transmit data to Ukraine — media
Kyiv • UNN
"Kosmos-2612" reduced the distance to ICEYE-X36 to 26 meters. An expert called the approach critical and warned of rising risks.
The Russian military satellite "Kosmos-2612" approached a critical distance from the US-Finnish ICEYE-X36 satellite operated by ICEYE, which may transmit data to Ukraine, UNN reports, citing Russian media.
Details
According to Russian media, space popularizer Georgy Trishkin said that the distance between the satellites had decreased to 26 meters. According to him, any approach of satellites to within less than a kilometer is considered critical.
The commercial ICEYE-X36 radar satellite can obtain images of the Earth's surface. The data is used for reconnaissance, in particular as part of ICEYE's cooperation with Ukraine.
Trishkin told The Insider that it was impossible to say for certain whether ICEYE-X36 was supplying intelligence data to Ukraine, "but it could quite possibly be used even for that."
According to him, a direct attack on ICEYE-X36 would constitute an attack on the property of the US Department of Defense. He stressed that an accidental collision was "unlikely, since both spacecraft are controlled," but added that "the risks are increasing."