‘A Real Genius’: Putin Showers Elon Musk With Praise

Oct. 28, 2026 Vladimir Putin. kremlin.ru President Vladimir Putin praised American tech billionaire Elon Musk as a “real genius” on Wednesday for developing the Starlink satellite internet network, speaking as Russia works to deploy its own orbital constellation. “We’re only taking our first steps,” Putin told delegates on the sidelines of the Russia-Africa summit, referring to Rassvet, a state-backed domestic satellite constellation designed to compete with Starlink. The Russian leader made the remarks as Digital Development and Communication Minister Maksut Shadayev presented satellites used in the Rassvet project at the summit. Putin said that Moscow remains in “close contact with our American partners, including with Mr. Musk, because in orbit, it’s very important not to interfere with one another and observe a certain discipline and order.” “Both we and our American partners value this mutual respect, and together with them, despite all the political issues, we’re working closely,” he said. Putin’s public call for coordination in space follows allegations from U.S. diplomats last week that Russia engaged in “deliberately reckless” behavior when a Russian military satellite maneuvered close to a U.S.-registered, Finnish-operated radar satellite supplying intelligence to Ukraine. Russia dismissed the claim as “absurd.” Putin previously compared Musk to legendary Soviet rocket engineer Sergei Korolev. His special envoy Kirill Dmitriev, who has similarly praised the tech billionaire, proposed that SpaceX and Roscosmos work on joint projects focused on Mars exploration. Musk, the world’s wealthiest person and an ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, has become increasingly critical of Ukraine in recent years and insists that Kyiv must sign a peace agreement with Moscow. Musk said this weekend that SpaceX had temporarily throttled Starlink satellite internet service in Ukraine, disrupting operations used by the Ukrainian military to defend the country against Russian attacks. “Using Starlink, a civilian commercial service, for offensive drone strikes to kill people has never been allowed, nor should it be,” Musk wrote on X. Starlink service in Ukraine was eventually restored following a reported request from Trump. Read more about: Putin , Elon Musk Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Putin Praises Musk, Compares Him to Soviet Space Hero "These are the kind of people who don't often appear in the human population," Putin said of the SpaceX founder. 1 Min read Elon Musk Held Secret Talks With Putin Amid Shifting Views on Ukraine – WSJ Putin reportedly asked the billionaire to not activate his Starlink satellite internet service over Taiwan as a favor to Chinese leader Xi Jinping. 2 Min read Kremlin 'Interested' After Musk Invites Putin to Clubhouse Chat “It would be a great honor to speak with you,” the tech billionaire tweeted at Putin in Russian. Elon Musk’s Self-Driving Tesla ‘Runs Over’ Putin’s Robot Pal A widely shared video claimed to show a Tesla Model S running over Promobot, a friend of President Vladimir Putin.