By Fatma Younis
Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed Elon Musk as a “genius” during a summit with African leaders in Moscow, acknowledging the scale of SpaceX’s Starlink network while outlining Russia’s own efforts to build a rival satellite communications system for military use against Ukraine.
Russia’s Rassvet constellation
Putin said Russia was taking “first steps” with its Rassvet constellation, which currently has an estimated 26 working satellites, compared with more than 5,000 Starlink satellites in orbit. The Russian leader added that Moscow maintains close contact with American partners, including Musk, to avoid interference in orbit.
Starlink restrictions affect Ukraine
The remarks come after a military version of Starlink, called Starshield, was restricted in mid-October, hindering Ukrainian drone operations and air defences. Musk initially denied ordering the throttling but later said he had closed a loophole that allowed military use of the civilian network. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said last week that Starlink and Starshield operations had been restored.
Western military aid increases
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom announced an additional £10 billion in financing for Ukraine over three years, including an immediate £500 million for air defence systems. The Netherlands pledged €500 million in military support for the winter and €1.2 billion in non-military aid for utilities and manufacturing repairs. The aid comes as Russia has launched more than 100 ballistic missiles at Kyiv and surrounding regions since mid-October, targeting power infrastructure.
