Putin Praises Musk as a Genius as Russia Builds Its Own Satellite Network

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday called Elon Musk a genius and said Moscow is in close contact with him, even as Russia works on its own satellite internet system to rival Starlink. The remarks came just weeks after Ukraine complained that restrictions on Starlink and its military version, Starshield, hampered its drone operations, according to The Guardian and The Independent.

Putin spoke at a summit with African leaders in Moscow, where, The Guardian reported, he compared Musk’s network with Russia’s slow progress on its Rassvet constellation. The Independent said he was responding to a presentation by digital development minister Maksut Shadayev.

The numbers behind Putin’s comparison

• More than 5,000: the number of Starlink satellites Putin and Shadayev cited. Russian news agency Tass quoted him as saying, “Elon Musk is a genius, a true genius,” and that Russia is only taking its first steps.
• About 10,000: the estimated real number of SpaceX satellites in orbit, according to The Guardian. The Independent cited the tracking site Orbital Radar as putting it close to 10,000.
• More than 30: the number of satellites Russia has launched for its own system, according to Shadayev, as reported by The Independent.
• 26: the estimated number of working Russian satellites, according to The Guardian, which said that limits the system’s capacity. The two outlets’ figures differ, and the reports do not explain why.
• Oct. 14: the date Ukrainian officials began reporting trouble with terminals moving at speed, The Independent said.

Why Ukraine’s access to Starlink became a dispute

Ukraine relies on Starlink and Starshield for drone operations and battlefield communications. The Guardian reported that Starshield was suddenly restricted one night in mid-October, which prevented Ukraine from conducting medium drone attacks and weakened some of its anti-drone air defenses. The Independent said some operations had to be canceled.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused the United States earlier this month of withdrawing vital intelligence and weakening Starlink at a crucial time, according to The Independent. Musk first denied ordering a slowdown, The Guardian reported, and later said he had closed a loophole that allowed the civilian version of Starlink to be used by the military.

Zelenskyy said last week that Starlink and Starshield operations had been restored. The Independent reported that Musk then accused the Ukrainian military of violating SpaceX’s terms. It added that neither Musk nor the U.S. government, which operates Starshield using Starlink technology, has taken responsibility for the speed curbs.

What this means for Russia, Ukraine and the war

Starlink does not work in Russia, and The Guardian reported that Russian use of it inside Ukraine was restricted earlier this year. Moscow is therefore building an alternative for its military, though its limited number of satellites means it is far smaller than Musk’s network. Putin acknowledged the gap, saying the task now was to move from quality to quantity, and said Russia was proud to have started building the system independently.

Putin also said Russia is in contact with its American partners, including Musk, because it is important in orbit “not to get in each other’s way” and to keep order. The Guardian said Putin appeared to be trying to flatter Musk, whose control of the technology has raised questions about his influence over the White House and over Ukraine’s war effort. The Independent noted that Russian officials have spoken highly of Musk before: In 2025, Putin’s investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev said Russia would like to work with him on a mission to Mars.

For Ukraine, the episode showed how much its front-line communications depend on a privately owned network. The Guardian reported that few people believe the issue is settled for good, given strained relations between Zelenskyy and U.S. President Donald Trump ahead of the U.S. midterm elections next Tuesday.

Around Prague, based on reporting by The Guardian, The Independent