Putin praises Musk as genius, confirms direct satellite talks
The Russian leader said Moscow coordinates with SpaceX to prevent orbital collisions while diplomatic ties warm.
By Meera Fletcher ·
Russian President Vladimir Putin called Elon Musk a "real genius" on Wednesday, confirming that Moscow maintains close contact with the SpaceX founder regarding satellite technology. Putin made the remarks during the Russia-Africa Summit held in Moscow. He stated that direct communication is necessary to ensure that the Russian Rassvet network and the American Starlink system do not interfere with each other in orbit.
"We and our American partners value this mutually, and despite all the political questions, we are working hard," Putin said. He noted that the coordination happens regardless of political tensions. SpaceX, the parent company of Starlink, did not respond to a request for comment regarding the discussions.
The two satellite networks differ drastically in scale. Starlink reports having launched roughly 13,000 satellites. In contrast, online satellite trackers indicate that only a couple of dozen Rassvet satellites are currently in orbit. The Russian Embassy in South Africa described Rassvet as "Russia's Starlink alternative" on Wednesday. The embassy stated that the project marks the country's first steps in this field and that Russia maintains close contacts with the US on space matters, including with Musk.
These comments arrive as Washington and Moscow appear to be drawing closer. This shift occurs as the fifth anniversary of Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine approaches. Ukraine has relied heavily on Starlink internet to support its military efforts against Russian forces. Last week, the Ukrainian military experienced sudden connectivity problems. Musk admitted that SpaceX caused these issues intentionally.
Other recent events point to warming ties between the two nations. Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump announced a deal with Russia to import diesel. He aimed to lower gas prices that had soared due to the US war with Iran. Following this announcement, Trump waived certain sanctions against Russia that were due to take effect. Shortly after, a US citizen was released from Russian custody. US envoy Steve Witkoff referred to Putin as a "humanitarian" in connection with the release.
Musk was born in South Africa before moving to Canada and later settling in the United States. His businesses, including Tesla, SpaceX, and Starlink, are based in America. Most of his operations are located in California and Texas. He has been a major political ally and financier for Trump and other Republican politicians.
