“Elon Musk is a real genius” – Putin speaks of contacts with the SpaceX boss

According to President Vladimir Putin, Russia is in close contact with tech billionaire Elon Musk. He also praised Musk on Wednesday evening during a tour of an exhibition on the sidelines of the Russia-Africa summit in Moscow.

“Elon Musk is a genius, really a genius,” Putin said of him. "How many units does he have in space? More than 5,000. And we're just taking our first steps." He added: “We are in close communication with our American partners, including Mr. Musk, because it is crucial that we don’t get in each other’s way in space.” Musk is the founder and head of the space company SpaceX.

SpaceX operates the Starlink satellite network and dominates the space market with its reusable rockets. Russia has long sought its own satellite-based internet for civilian and military purposes.

Putin made the comments amid disagreements between Ukraine and the US over Kiev's access to Starlink and its military offshoot Starshield. The military version forms the backbone of Ukrainian drone operations and military communications.

In October, Ukraine complained about a throttling of both services. According to Ukrainian information, the failures made logistics on the front and the defense against Russian drones more difficult. Musk and US President Donald Trump denied being responsible.

Musk later accused Ukraine on his Platform Serhiy Beskrestnov, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, rejected this. He was referring to long-standing restrictions on the civilian version of the service, which preclude use for offensive attacks.

The relationship between Kyiv and Washington has deteriorated significantly in recent weeks. Trump concluded an agreement with Moscow on the supply of diesel fuel and suspended planned sanctions against Russia. When Zelensky criticized the deal, Trump called for his replacement.

Meanwhile, the US government is trying to end the war. Last week, US special envoy Steve Witkoff met Zelensky and European representatives in Oslo. According to the Kremlin, he then spoke to Putin in St. Petersburg for about three hours. Witkoff called the talks “constructive,” but said there was “important work still to be done.”

A localized ceasefire has been in effect since Tuesday around the Russian-occupied front-line town of Oleshky in the Kherson region. It is intended to enable aid deliveries and evacuations. According to the US government, First Lady Melania Trump brokered the ceasefire. According to the Kremlin, if the operation is successful, it could serve as a model for other sectors of the front.

The Kremlin has announced direct negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators under US mediation in Abu Dhabi for the first half of November. Zelenskyj confirmed the plans. The three sides last negotiated in February without making any progress.