Vladimir Putin publicly praised Elon Musk as a 'genius' and disclosed that he and Musk maintain close contact regarding Rassvet, Russia's domestic satellite connectivity project comparable to Starlink. The revelation underscores the ongoing geopolitical tension between Russia's push for independent satellite internet infrastructure and Western-controlled alternatives like SpaceX's constellation.
Background
Russia has been developing its own satellite internet constellation (Rassvet) as an alternative to SpaceX's Starlink, which has faced sanctions since the Ukraine conflict. The project represents Russia's effort to achieve satellite-based connectivity independence.
- Source
- TechCrunch
- Published
- Oct 30, 2026 at 05:51 AM
- Score
- 6.0 / 10