US Space Command: Russia is now operationalizing co-orbital ASAT weapons

Image: A space-based camera owned by the Australian company HEO captured this view of Kosmos 2558, one of Russia’s suspected Nivelir satellites in low-Earth orbit. Image credit: HEO via CSIS. Article by Stephen Clark. Ars Technica – April 23, 2026.

After several tests of unusual “nesting doll” satellites in low-Earth orbit, Russia is now fielding operational anti-satellite weapons with valuable US government satellites in their crosshairs, the four-star general leading US Space Command said this week. Gen. Stephen Whiting didn’t name the system, but he was almost certainly referring to a Russian military program named Nivelir, which has launched four satellites shadowing US spy satellites owned by the National Reconnaissance Office in low-Earth orbit. […]

Click here to view original web page at www.arstechnica.com

Video: Cosmos 2558 – Center for Strategic & International Studies