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Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that American billionaire Elon Musk, who has placed thousands of satellites into Earth's orbit, is "truly a genius," as Moscow seeks to develop its own satellite internet network.
Among the companies he manages, Musk owns the American group "SpaceX," which launches rockets for the US space agency (NASA) and develops the "Starlink" communications network.
Russia, a prominent space power, has long been seeking to develop its own satellite internet network for both military and civilian use.
Putin's remarks come against the backdrop of a growing dispute between Ukraine and the United States over access to the "Starshield" military-use communications network, operated by Musk's SpaceX.
During a visit to an exhibition on the sidelines of the Russia-Africa summit in Moscow, Putin stated, "Elon Musk is a genius, he is truly a genius."
He asked, "How many units does he have in orbit? More than 5,000, and we are still in our early steps."
He added, "We are in close contact with our American partners, including Mr. Musk, because it is necessary in orbit that we do not interfere with one another."
Ukraine began complaining about problems using "Starshield" earlier this month, following a dispute between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his American counterpart Donald Trump regarding a US-Russian diesel agreement.
Both Musk and Trump denied causing malfunctions in the network. Musk later accused Ukraine of misusing the "Starlink" service for military purposes.
For its part, Ukraine says these malfunctions have undermined efforts to counter Russian drones and paralyzed the logistics chain along the front, as the Ukrainian-Russian conflict enters its fifth year.
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