Putin Calls Musk 'a Genius' and Cites Close Contact on Russia's Starlink Rival Rassvet

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday at the Russia-Africa Summit that he is in "close contact" with SpaceX CEO Elon Musk regarding Rassvet, Russia's answer to Musk's Starlink satellite internet service. Putin called Musk a genius, noting that his company already has more than 5,000 such satellites in orbit while Russia is only taking its first steps.

Possible implications for the war in Ukraine

TechCrunch notes that a potential relationship between Putin and Musk could carry serious implications. Musk has recently voiced frustration with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, whose country has been fighting a Russian invasion since 2022.

After the United States eased sanctions on Russia earlier this month, Ukrainian officials grew concerned that Ukraine could lose access to Starshield, the military version of the Starlink network, on which Ukrainian forces rely.

The concerns had some basis: for about 10 days this month, Ukrainian drones frequently lost connectivity. According to The Wall Street Journal, Musk ordered SpaceX to limit Ukraine's Starlink access, although other reports say the order came from the White House.

Musk claimed in a post on X that Ukraine violated Starlink's terms of service by using the technology for "offensive drone strikes to kill people." Starlink service in Ukraine appears to have since returned to normal operation.

Musk also wrote that if Starlink were turned off, the Ukrainian front line would collapse immediately. He stressed that this was not a threat, but simply a statement of fact.