Putin Calls Musk a 'Genius' as Russia Builds Its Own Satellite Network

Russian President Vladimir Putin has praised Elon Musk as a "true genius" and said he is in contact with the controlling shareholder of Starlink, even as Russia works on its own satellite communications system for its military to use against Ukraine.

Speaking at a summit with African leaders in Moscow, Putin compared the network built by Musk's SpaceX with Russia's slow progress on its Rassvet constellation. According to the Tass news agency, he said: "Elon Musk is a genius, a true genius. How many of these [satellites] does he have in orbit? More than 5,000, and we're only taking the first steps." The actual number of active SpaceX satellites is estimated at about 10,000.

Putin also said Moscow is "in close contact with our American partners, including Mr Musk," because it is important in orbit "not to get in each other's way and to maintain a certain level of discipline and order." The remarks appeared aimed at flattering Musk, whose control of the technology has raised questions about his leverage over the White House and his influence on Ukraine's war effort.

The comments follow a diplomatic row earlier this month. Starshield, the military version of Starlink, was suddenly restricted one night in mid-October, which prevented Ukraine from carrying out medium drone attacks and hampered some of its anti-drone air defences. Musk, an ally of US President Donald Trump, first denied ordering any throttling. At the end of last week, he said he had closed a loophole that let the military use the civilian Starlink service.

Starlink does not work in Russia, and Russian use of it inside Ukraine was restricted earlier this year. Moscow has started developing an alternative, but with an estimated 26 working satellites its capacity remains limited. After roughly 10 days of restrictions, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Starlink and Starshield operations had been restored and that speeds were "now where they need to be".

Few expect the matter to be permanently settled. Relations between Zelenskyy and Trump are strained ahead of the US midterm elections next Tuesday, and Trump has also reached out to Putin, agreeing early in October to buy diesel from Moscow to help lower the oil price before voters go to the polls. Zelenskyy said he hopes proposed trilateral talks involving Ukraine, Russia and the US will take place from 6 to 10 November in Abu Dhabi. "We are waiting for the American side," he told a press conference in The Hague with Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten.

Elsewhere, European support is growing. Britain will provide £10bn in extra financing for Ukraine over the next three years, plus an immediate £500m for air defence systems. UK chancellor John Healey announced the funding in the annual budget, saying Zelenskyy told him and Prime Minister Andy Burnham: "You've made my day." Zelenskyy called it "a truly strong and very timely step" as the war approaches what is expected to be its hardest winter yet.

The Dutch government also pledged €500m in military support for the winter and a further €1.2bn in non-military aid, partly to fund urgent repairs to Ukraine's utilities and manufacturing.

Meanwhile, Moscow has relentlessly attacked Kyiv this autumn while its forces fail to advance on the eastern front. Zelenskyy said overnight that Russia had launched more than 100 ballistic missiles at the capital and surrounding region since mid-October, hitting power plants and other key targets in an effort to create a humanitarian crisis.