Putin Calls Musk a ‘Genius,’ Claims Close Cooperation as Ukraine Faces Starlink Disruptions

Russian President Vladimir Putin called Elon Musk a “genius” on Wednesday, Oct. 28, and said Moscow maintains close contact with the American billionaire, even as Ukraine faces controversy over access to SpaceX satellite communications used by its military. Speaking at an exhibition during the Russia-Africa summit in Moscow, Putin praised Musk’s achievements in deploying thousands of satellites through SpaceX’s Starlink network.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. “Elon Musk is a genius, truly a genius,” Putin said, comparing the scale of Starlink’s satellite constellation with Russia’s efforts to develop a competing system. “How many units does he have in orbit? More than 5,000. And we’re only taking our first steps,” he added. Putin also claimed that Russia remains in direct contact with American partners, including Musk, over satellite operations. “We are in close contact with our American partners, including Mr. Musk, because it is crucial in orbit not to interfere with one another,” he said. Russia is developing its own satellite internet constellation, known as Rassvet, for civilian and military communications. Russian Digital Development Minister Maksut Shadayev said Moscow had launched more than 30 satellites as part of the effort. Praise comes amid Ukraine satellite dispute Putin’s remarks come weeks after Ukraine reported restrictions affecting Starlink and Starshield, the military-grade satellite communications system developed by SpaceX. Other Topics of Interest South Korea Boosts Russian Coal Purchases in 2026 Finland-based CREA attributed Seoul’s increased coal purchases to lower nuclear power generation, while fuel exports to Russia also fell sharply. Ukraine relies heavily on satellite internet for battlefield communications, drone operations and logistical coordination along the front line. Ukrainian officials said disruptions earlier in October complicated efforts to intercept Russian drones and forced some military operations to be postponed. Ukraine said over the weekend that Starlink and Starshield services had returned to normal. Neither Musk nor the US government has acknowledged responsibility for imposing the earlier restrictions. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 90% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.