Putin praises Musk as Russia builds Starlink rival with 30 satellites

Russian President Vladimir Putin called Elon Musk a "genius" on Wednesday while acknowledging Russia is only beginning to develop its own satellite internet network to rival Starlink, which has been crucial for Ukraine's military communications during the war. Digital Development Minister Maksut Shadayev told Putin that Russia has launched more than 30 satellites for its system, while noting Musk's Starlink operates over 5,000 low-orbit satellites, though independent trackers put the number near 10,000. Putin said Moscow must move "from quality to quantity" and confirmed Russia is in contact with Musk to maintain orbital discipline. Ukraine has relied heavily on Starlink and Starshield for battlefield connectivity, but Kyiv recently complained about speed restrictions that hampered drone interception operations. The systems were restored over the weekend, with Musk accusing Ukraine of violating SpaceX's terms. Russian officials have previously expressed interest in collaborating with Musk on a Mars mission.