Elon Musk is ‘truly a genius,’ says Vladimir Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin recently described SpaceX CEO Elon Musk as a "truly genius" at the Russia-Africa Summit. Putin noted that Musk has deployed over 5,000 internet satellites in orbit, while Russia's Rassvet service, intended as a counterpart to Starlink, is still in its early stages. This potential collaboration between Musk and Putin could have significant implications, especially considering Musk's recent criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whose nation has been battling Russia since 2022.

Ukrainian officials have become anxious about potential disruptions to Starshield, the military variant of Musk's Starlink network, which is crucial for Ukraine's armed forces. The concern was valid, as Ukrainian drones faced frequent connectivity issues for about a week earlier this month. According to the Wall Street Journal, Musk reportedly instructed SpaceX to restrict Ukraine's access to Starlink, though some reports suggest the decision originated with the White House.

Musk took to X, formerly Twitter, to clarify that Ukraine had breached Starlink's terms of service by employing the technology for "offensive drone strikes to kill people." Despite Musk's claim, Starlink service in Ukraine has reportedly returned to normal operations. Musk also emphasized on X that the collapse of the Ukrainian front line would be immediate should Starlink be shut down, stating this is a "simple statement of fact," not a threat.