Putin Praises Elon Musk as ‘Real Genius’ Amid Talks on Satellite Coordination

During the Russia‑Africa Summit in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Elon Musk, describing him as a "real genius," and said the two are in "close" contact about satellite technology. Putin highlighted the need for coordination between Russia’s nascent satellite‑internet project Rassvet and SpaceX’s Starlink to avoid orbital interference. Starlink has launched roughly 13,000 satellites, while Rassvet currently has only a few dozen in orbit. The comments come as Russia seeks to expand its space capabilities and maintain cooperation with U.S. partners, even as geopolitical tensions with Ukraine and the West remain high.