Putin Praises Musk's 'Genius' as Russia Chases Starlink Blueprint

The Guardian reports that Vladimir Putin hailed Elon Musk's 'genius' amid revelations that Russia is developing its own version of Starlink. The Kremlin's explicit admiration for Musk's satellite network — coupled with a crash program to replicate it — reads like the ultimate validation: when your biggest geopolitical rival tries to clone your tech, you've won the innovation argument.

Russia's sovereign internet ambitions have long clashed with Starlink's borderless architecture. Now, facing a connectivity gap they can't close with terrestrial fiber, Russian officials are scrambling to field a low-Earth-orbit constellation of their own. The irony is thick: a regime that restricts information flow wants the very tool that makes censorship obsolete.

Starlink's lead isn't just technical — it's operational, with thousands of satellites already serving millions globally. Russia's effort will take years and billions, assuming sanctions don't strangle its supply chains. Meanwhile, SpaceX keeps iterating. The market has spoken, and even Putin is taking notes.

Source: Putin hails Elon Musk’s ‘genius’ amid plans for Russian version of Starlink — The Guardian