Putin salutes Musk's 'genius' as Russia follows Starlink

Putin salutes Musk's genius as Russia plays catch-up with Starlink

Updated / Wednesday, 28 Oct 2026 16:47

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President Vladimir Putin has hailed Elon Musk as a genius, acknowledging Russia is only beginning to roll out its answer to his Starlink satellite internet system.

The admission was all the more striking because a version of Starlink, developed by Mr Musk's SpaceX, has been used by Ukraine's military throughout the war with Russia as a key component of drone operations and battlefield communications.

Mr Putin made the remark while listening to a presentation by Digital Development Minister Maksut Shadayev, who said Russia had launched more than 30 satellites as it builds its own Starlink equivalent.

"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," said Mr Putin, who was accompanied by a group of African leaders attending a summit in Moscow.

Putin says Russia in contact with US partners

Mr Shadayev said in reply to a question from Mr Putin that Mr Musk had more than 5,000 low-orbit satellites up and running - although the actual number is close to 10,000, according to independent tracking site Orbital Radar.

"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 task now was "to move from quality to quantity".

"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 uses a constellation of satellites that orbit far lower than traditional geostationary communications satellites, reducing signal travel time.

Ukraine has relied heavily on the system and its military version Starshield, but complained earlier this month of speed restrictions that hampered its ability to intercept Russian attack drones and forced the cancellation of some operations.

The problems added to tensions between Kyiv and the US after President Donald Trump announced a deal to buy Russian diesel while pressing Kyiv to stop striking Russian oil refineries and saying it was time for Ukrainians to replace their president.

At the weekend, Ukraine said Starlink and Starshield were again fully functional, but Mr Musk accused the Ukrainian military of violating SpaceX's terms. Neither Mr Musk nor the US government, which operates Starshield using Starlink technology, have taken responsibility for imposing the speed curbs.

Russian officials have spoken highly of Mr Musk before. In 2025, Mr Putin's investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev said Russia would like to work with him on a mission to Mars.

German court weighs Bulgaria's extradition request in Starlink fire case

German prosecutors have said that two German nationals were arrested last Friday and are being detained while a court in the western city of Duesseldorf considers an extradition request by Bulgaria.

Bulgarian authorities accuse the two suspects of setting fire to SpaceX SPCX.O Starlink antennas near Sofia and issued a European arrest warrant.

A spokesperson for the Duesseldorf prosecutors' office said the two men held were both 19 years old and residents of nearby cities Duisburg and Moers, respectively.

Prosecutors in Bulgaria allege the two entered the country from Serbia on 9 October, spent several hours in the country and later returned to Serbia. They are accused of setting fire to Starlink antennas south of Sofia.

Ukraine uses Starlink terminals extensively for battlefield communications and installs Starlink receivers in many of its drones as part of their guidance systems.

Bulgaria's Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev said he expected the suspects to be handed over to Bulgarian authorities.

He added the two had committed a similar act in another European Union member state without elaborating.