A Russian military satellite recently came within close proximity to a Finnish radar satellite, sparking concerns about a potential provocation. Physicist and Riigikogu member Mario Kadastik described the incident as a deliberate act that could have resulted in a major accident.
What happened
The Russian satellite, Kosmos 2612, was reportedly maneuvered to be within less than a mile of the Finnish radar satellite, Iceye-X36, which is operated by a multinational company with offices in several countries, including the US and Finland. Kadastik explained that the close encounter was extremely dangerous due to the high speeds at which satellites travel, making a collision possible even with a small correction maneuver.
The Iceye-X36 satellite is designed for Earth observation and uses radar to monitor activity on the ground, even in darkness and through clouds. Its data is regularly provided to Ukraine, which has been a point of interest for Russia. Kadastik speculated that the Russian satellite's actions may have been an attempt to disrupt the Finnish satellite's operation or to conceal the movements of Russian units.
Kadastik believes that the incident is a significant escalation by Russia in the space domain and that a response from NATO is necessary. He emphasized that activities in space are regulated by the 1967 Outer Space Treaty and that approaching within a few kilometers of another satellite without coordination is considered a serious offense.
