A Russian military satellite, Kosmos 2612, has maneuvered to an unusually close distance from the U.S.–operated Earth‑imaging satellite ICEYE‑X36, marking the first documented unsanctioned rendezvous in low‑Earth orbit, according to orbital‑intelligence firm LeoLabs. LeoLabs said Kosmos 2612 performed a series of deliberate moves toward ICEYE‑X36, closing the gap from several hundred kilometres to what it described as “extreme proximity.” The Russian satellite then circled the imaging platform, lingered nearby for a prolonged period, and eventually began to drift away.
U.S. military officials and independent analysts have been monitoring Kosmos 2612 since its launch in April aboard a Soyuz rocket from a spaceport in northern Russia. Within weeks of the launch, observers noted that at least four of the six satellites deployed on that flight adjusted their orbits to line up with ICEYE‑X36, effectively shadowing the commercial spacecraft.