President Vladimir Putin has described Elon Musk as a “genius” while acknowledging that Russia is only beginning to deploy its own answer to the Starlink satellite internet network.
The praise carries particular weight because Starlink, created by Mr Musk’s SpaceX, has become an important tool for Ukraine’s military during the war with Russia, supporting drone missions and communications on the battlefield.
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Mr Putin made the comments as Digital Development Minister Maksut Shadayev presented details of Russia’s satellite programme. Mr Shadayev said the country had launched more than 30 satellites as it works to build a system comparable to Starlink.
“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,” Mr Putin said. He was accompanied by African leaders attending a summit in Moscow.
Putin says Russia in contact with US partners
“Over 5,000 – while we are only taking our first steps. But we are proud that we have begun to do this, and started to do it independently,” Mr Putin said, adding that the next challenge was “to move from quality to quantity”.
He said Russia was also communicating with US companies, including Mr Musk’s, to prevent interference between satellite networks.
“We are in close contact with our American partners – including Mr Musk – because it is very important, in orbit, not to get in each other’s way and to maintain a certain level of discipline and order,” he said.
Starlink operates through a network of satellites flying much closer to Earth than traditional geostationary communications satellites, allowing signals to travel more quickly.
Ukraine has depended heavily on Starlink and its military-focused Starshield service. Earlier this month, however, it complained that speed restrictions had hindered efforts to intercept Russian attack drones and led to the cancellation of some operations.
The disruption deepened tensions between Kyiv and Washington after President Donald Trump announced an agreement to purchase Russian diesel, urged Kyiv to halt attacks on Russian oil refineries and said Ukrainians should replace their president.
Ukraine said at the weekend that Starlink and Starshield were operating normally again. Mr Musk, however, accused the Ukrainian military of breaching SpaceX’s terms. Neither Mr Musk nor the US government, which runs Starshield using Starlink technology, has accepted responsibility for the speed restrictions.
Russian officials have previously expressed admiration for Mr Musk. In 2025, Kirill Dmitriev, Mr Putin’s investment envoy, said Russia was interested in working with him on a mission to Mars.
German court weighs Bulgaria’s extradition request in Starlink fire case
German prosecutors said two German nationals were arrested last Friday and remain in custody while a court in the western city of Duesseldorf examines Bulgaria’s extradition request.
Bulgarian authorities accuse the suspects of setting fire to SpaceX SPCX.O Starlink antennas near Sofia. European arrest warrants have been issued for both men.
A spokesperson for the Duesseldorf prosecutors’ office said the detainees were both 19 and lived in the nearby cities of Duisburg and Moers.
Bulgarian prosecutors allege that the pair entered the country from Serbia on 9 October, remained there for several hours and then travelled back to Serbia. They are accused of igniting Starlink antennas south of Sofia.
Ukraine makes extensive use of Starlink terminals for military communications and fits receivers to many drones, where they form part of the aircrafts’ guidance systems.
Bulgaria’s Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev said he expected the suspects to be transferred to Bulgarian authorities.
He also said the men had carried out a similar act in another European Union member state, but provided no further details.
