What happened 500 metres above Earth this week, and why Washington is worried.
Russia launched this military satellite in April 2026 and shared almost no details about its mission.
A US-owned radar satellite built by Finland's ICEYE. Ukraine's military uses its images.
On 30 September, Cosmos 2612 started changing its orbit to line up with ICEYE-X36.
Between 15 and 19 October, the Russian satellite moved within about 500 metres of its target.
A 17 October image showed the two satellites about one kilometre apart. Some trackers say it was even closer.
It is called a rendezvous and proximity operation: one satellite flying up close to another on purpose.
A senior US official called it threatening behavior that fits space-weapon activity.
Its radar sees through clouds and darkness. That helps Ukraine track movements on the ground.
No hostile act is confirmed. But analysts say the timing, during the Ukraine war, is worrying.
By 20 October, the two satellites were moving apart. Watchers keep tracking Cosmos 2612.
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