Putin Labels Elon Musk a Genius While Russia Builds Rival Satellite Network

Russian President Vladimir Putin described SpaceX CEO Elon Musk as a true genius during a speech at the Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow on Wednesday. The remark came as Putin detailed the progress of Rassvet, a domestic satellite internet constellation designed to compete with Starlink.

Putin stated that Russia is currently in close contact with its U.S. partners, specifically naming Musk. He acknowledged the gap in capacity between the two nations, noting that Musk has placed more than 5,000 satellites in orbit while Russia is only taking its first steps. The Russian leader emphasized that the country is proud to have begun this work independently.

The Rassvet project is a low-Earth orbit constellation built by the private aerospace firm Bureau 1440. According to satellite tracker Orbital Radar, 31 satellites are currently in orbit following 32 launches since March of this year. Of those, 26 are operating in their intended working orbit at an altitude of approximately 509 kilometers.

Putin addressed the technical complexities of sharing orbital space with Western providers. He argued that adherence to rules, discipline, and order is vital to prevent interference. He claimed that both Russia and its U.S. counterparts value this mutual understanding and continue to work closely despite ongoing political tensions.

SpaceX, which owns Starlink, did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the president's remarks. The company operates a constellation of more than 11,000 satellites that provide high-speed internet access to 174 countries. Starlink has drawn increased scrutiny in recent weeks over its operational policies in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Ukraine accused SpaceX of imposing restrictions that slowed military satellite internet access earlier this month. Ukrainian officials stated that these restrictions affected Starshield, the government communications service, causing drones and moving terminals to lose or degrade connectivity above roughly 100 miles per hour. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy blamed the limited service for disrupting air defense capabilities during Russian air attacks.

Musk has stated that Starshield is controlled by the U.S. government and ultimately the president. However, other reports suggested the restriction was imposed by Musk personally. U.S. President Donald Trump denied ordering the restriction, and neither the White House nor SpaceX responded to requests for comment on the origin of the decision.

Musk later argued that Ukraine breached Starlink's terms of service by using a civilian commercial network for offensive drone strikes. Ukraine denied the breach. The White House and SpaceX did not clarify whether the service had been formally limited or where such an order originated.

The diplomatic exchange between Moscow and Washington comes as the war approaches its fifth anniversary. Early Thursday, regional governor Oleksandr Ganzha reported that 13 people were killed and 10 injured in a Russian jet-powered drone attack on a railway station in Dnipro. Russia also targeted Kharkiv, damaging an educational institution, while its Ministry of Defense claimed to have intercepted 1,214 Ukrainian fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles overnight.

U.S.-brokered peace talks involving Putin, Zelenskyy, and Trump may occur next month. Zelenskyy said on Wednesday that preparations are underway for a trilateral meeting in Abu Dhabi by November 10. Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov told journalists that Moscow has not proposed a specific date, citing dependencies on the situation in the Middle East and the battlefield.