Russian President Vladimir Putin has praised Elon Musk as a “genius”, acknowledging that Russia is only beginning to develop its own satellite internet network to rival the billionaire’s Starlink system.
Putin made the remarks on Wednesday while listening to a presentation by Russia’s Digital Development Minister Maksut Shadayev, who said the country had launched more than 30 satellites as part of its efforts to build a Starlink equivalent.
“Just a second, I want to point out this is just our first step. Elon Musk is a genius, he’s just a real genius,” Putin said during a meeting attended by African leaders visiting Moscow.
Shadayev told Putin that Musk’s Starlink network had more than 5,000 low-Earth-orbit satellites in operation. However, independent tracking site Orbital Radar puts the actual number at close to 10,000.
Putin acknowledged the gap between the two programmes, saying Russia was still at an early stage but was proud to have started developing the system independently.
“Our task now is to move from quality to quantity,” he said.
Putin also said Russia remained in close contact with American partners, including Musk, to ensure satellites could operate in orbit without interfering with one another.
Starlink’s Role In The Russia-Ukraine War
Putin’s praise comes as Starlink, developed by Musk’s SpaceX, has become a crucial part of Ukraine’s military operations during its war with Russia.
The satellite internet system, which operates much closer to Earth than traditional geostationary communications satellites, provides faster connections and has been widely used for battlefield communications and drone operations.
Ukraine has also relied on Starshield, SpaceX’s military-focused satellite communications service.
Earlier this month, Ukrainian officials complained that speed restrictions on the services had hampered efforts to intercept Russian attack drones and forced the cancellation of some military operations.
The disruption added to tensions between Kyiv and Washington after US President Donald Trump announced a deal to purchase Russian diesel, pressed Ukraine to stop attacking Russian oil refineries and suggested it was time for Ukrainians to replace their president.
Ukraine said over the weekend that Starlink and Starshield were fully operational again. However, Musk accused the Ukrainian military of violating SpaceX’s terms of service.
Neither Musk nor the US government, which operates Starshield using Starlink technology, has taken responsibility for imposing the speed restrictions.
Russia Eyes Greater Independence In Space
Russia’s efforts to develop a competing satellite network reflect its ambition to establish a more independent communications infrastructure.
Putin’s comments also highlight the technological challenge facing Moscow as it attempts to catch up with Starlink’s extensive satellite constellation.
Russian officials have previously expressed interest in working with Musk. In 2025, Putin’s investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev said Russia would like to collaborate with the entrepreneur on a mission to Mars.
For now, however, Putin’s remarks suggest that Russia still has considerable ground to cover before its satellite network can match Starlink’s scale.
