Technology

Putin calls Musk a genius as Russia develops Starlink alternative

Putin said Russia is in close contact with Musk while its Rassvet satellite network is still being built.

Updated Oct 28, 2026 · 20:18 UTC2 reports

The short version

Putin called Elon Musk a genius at a Moscow summit with African leaders.[The Guardian]
Putin said Russia is in close contact with American partners, including Musk, to avoid interference in orbit.[The Guardian]
Russia is gradually developing its Rassvet satellite network, which reportedly has an estimated 26 working satellites with limited capacity.[The Guardian]
Satellite counts are disputed: Putin cited more than 5,000 SpaceX satellites, while an estimate puts active satellites near 10,000.[The Guardian]

Putin called Musk a genius at a summit with African leaders in Moscow.[The Guardian]
Putin said Russia is in close contact with American partners, including Musk, to avoid interference in orbit.[The Guardian]
Putin stated that SpaceX has more than 5,000 satellites in orbit.[The Guardian]
Russia is developing its own Rassvet satellite constellation, which has limited capacity.[The Guardian]
Starlink has launched roughly 13,000 satellites, according to the company.[BBC News]

Putin's figure of more than 5,000 SpaceX satellites conflicts with an estimate of about 10,000 active satellites.[The Guardian]
The 26-satellite Rassvet figure is an estimate, and its capacity is described as limited.[The Guardian]

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.