By Sohaib Shams
Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed Elon Musk as a "genius" on Wednesday while overseeing a presentation on Russia's efforts to build a rival to the Starlink satellite internet system, weeks after Ukraine reported speed restrictions that hampered its military operations.
Russia Advances Own Satellite Constellation
During a meeting with Digital Development Minister Maksut Shadayev, Putin noted that Russia had launched more than 30 low-orbit satellites as a first step toward a Starlink equivalent. Shadayev said Musk operates over 5,000 satellites, though independent trackers count nearly 10,000. Putin called the Russian effort a proud beginning and stressed the need to move "from quality to quantity."
Orbital Coordination With U.S. Partners
Putin added that Moscow maintains close contact with American partners, including Musk, to ensure orbital discipline and avoid collisions. Starlink, which does not operate in Russia, uses a low-orbit constellation that reduces signal latency compared to traditional geostationary satellites.
Ukraine's Starlink Disruptions
Ukraine has relied heavily on Starlink and its military variant, Starshield, for drone operations and battlefield communications throughout the Russian invasion. Earlier this month, Ukrainian officials said speed restrictions on terminals moving at high velocity impeded their ability to intercept Russian attack drones and forced the cancellation of some missions.
On October 14, Ukrainian authorities reported widespread terminal issues. The disruptions added to tensions between Kyiv and Washington after former U.S. President Donald Trump announced a deal to purchase Russian diesel and pressed Ukraine to halt strikes on Russian refineries. By the weekend, Ukraine said Starlink and Starshield were fully functional again, though Musk accused the Ukrainian military of violating SpaceX's terms of service. Neither Musk nor the U.S. government, which operates Starshield, has acknowledged imposing the speed limits.
Previous Russian Outreach to Musk
Russian officials have previously praised Musk. In 2025, Putin's investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev said Russia would like to cooperate with Musk on a mission to Mars.
