A Russian military spacecraft has moved within striking distance of a US-registered commercial satellite, and Moscow's envoy at the UN says nobody should be concerned.
The craft is Kosmos 2612. A US official described its recent maneuvers on Wednesday in the UN General Assembly's First Committee, the body that handles disarmament and international security. Kosmos 2612 approached the American satellite some 340 miles (550 kilometers) above Earth. The approach came several days before that session, though no exact date was given.
Moments later, Konstantin Vorontsov, deputy head of Russia's UN delegation, assured the committee there was no reason to worry.
That sits awkwardly with his own record. In 2022, Vorontsov painted a bullseye on commercial satellite networks that help Ukraine resist the Russian invasion. The satellite Kosmos 2612 approached is a commercial one of that kind.
"Striking distance" is a loose phrase, so it helps to say what it covers. In orbit, it means close enough that a spacecraft could collide with, jam, or closely inspect another with little warning. Proximity alone does not show intent, because inspection and attack look the same until something happens.
Russia has form here. In 2020, Kosmos 2542 shadowed a US government spy satellite and released a smaller object, and in 2021 Russia destroyed its own Cosmos 1408 satellite with a missile, scattering debris. We have no launch or payload details for Kosmos 2612, so its purpose is unclear.
The notable shift is the target. Earlier shadowing involved US government satellites. This one involves a commercial satellite, and Russia's own diplomat had already named that category as fair game. The open question is whether Kosmos 2612 keeps its distance.