Key facts
- Putin called Musk a "genius" at the Russia-Africa Summit.
- Putin and Musk are in contact about Russia's Rassvet satellite internet project.
- Ukraine experienced frequent Starlink connectivity losses for about 10 days this month.
- Musk claimed Ukraine violated Starlink terms of service.
Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Elon Musk as a "genius" on Wednesday, stating they are in close contact regarding Russia's satellite internet project, Rassvet, which is intended to rival Musk's Starlink service. Putin's remarks at the Russia-Africa Summit highlighted the disparity in their satellite network capabilities, with Musk already having over 5,000 satellites in orbit while Russia is in its initial stages.
The potential relationship between Putin and Musk carries significant implications, particularly given Musk's recent public frustrations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Concerns arose among Ukrainian officials that Ukraine might lose access to Starshield, the military version of Starlink, following the U.S. easing sanctions on Russia earlier this month. These concerns were amplified by approximately 10 days of frequent connectivity losses experienced by Ukrainian drones.