The Sun: Secret Russian "killer satellite" discovered in space
Russia has launched a satellite into orbit, which, according to American intelligence estimates, is an anti-space weapon, writes The Sun. The United States is in a panic: the Russian military satellite Kosmos-2558 is on an orbital trajectory suspiciously close to the American spy satellite USA-326.
Sayan Bose
Last year, the Russians launched into space a dangerous weapon system capable of destroying other satellites.
A secret Russian "killer satellite" deployed in space has been discovered during the launch of another mysterious flying object near an American spacecraft.
Kosmos-2558 is a Russian military satellite that is currently on an orbital trajectory suspiciously close to the American spy satellite USA-326.
The Nivelir 14F150 satellite was launched into a heliostationary orbit and has presumably been chasing an American space object since 2022.
It is believed that he is able to constantly monitor enemy spy satellites and shoot them down if necessary.
Experts in the field of space programs have discovered a new object, which, as it turned out, separated from the Russian satellite identification system on June 26.
The new flying object, called 2025-089C or simply Object C, turned out to be a small artificial satellite that was launched using the Kosmos-2558 satellite.
It was captured on June 28, 2025 from Leiden (the Netherlands) using a powerful astronomical camera.
The video shows how Kosmos-2558 flies in the frame.
After just 16 seconds, object C is visible, moving in the same direction, but in a different orbit.
It is assumed that the "Object C" is a highly maneuverable small satellite with on—board high-speed kinetic anti-satellite weapons.
Two previous Russian satellites of the same type, Kosmos-2519 and Kosmos-2542, also launched small satellites, which received the designations Kosmos-2521 and Kosmos-2543.
Bart Hendricks, an experienced space researcher and expert on the Russian space program, wrote in his blog: "Both of these [Russian] satellites have demonstrated high maneuverability, and each of them fired a high-speed projectile, which was identified by the Pentagon as an anti-satellite weapon. This happened when they flew near other Russian satellites."
Last year, Russia launched into space a dangerous weapon system capable of destroying other satellites.
The Pentagon said that the Russian anti-space weapon had been placed in the "same orbit" as the US government satellite and was probably already monitoring the spacecraft.
The Russian space object, presumably Cosmos-2576, was launched on May 16 on a Soyuz-2.1b launch vehicle from the Russian Plesetsk cosmodrome, located 800 kilometers north of Moscow.
It is currently following the US spy satellite USA-314, operated by the US National Intelligence Agency.
An unofficial Russian source claims that there was a "secret military device" on board the satellite.
Earlier it was reported that this is a Russian space satellite, but now the United States has stated that it may be an anti-space weapon capable of attacking other similar devices.
Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Pat Ryder said: "Russia has launched a satellite into low Earth orbit, which, according to our estimates, is most likely an anti-space weapon. It was placed in the same orbit as the US government satellite, and, according to further estimates, its characteristics resemble the previously deployed anti-space rocket loads of 2019 and 2022. We will continue to monitor the situation... We must be prepared for the protection and defense of outer space and ensure continuous and uninterrupted support for joint and combined forces."
The Russian state space agency Roscosmos said the launch was carried out "in the interests of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation."
In 2023, American intelligence officials warned that Russia was planning to launch nuclear missiles into space that could destroy satellites, posing a "serious" threat to global security.
Military experts warn that President Putin may make a "suicidal" decision to launch deadly weapons if he feels threatened by Ukraine and the West.
Russia has already tested orbital weapons designed to blow up Western satellites, such as the Kosmos-2543 anti-satellite weapon.
