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Putin said Russia is in contact with Musk on satellite technology, stressing the need to coordinate the operations of Rassvet and Starlink; At the same time, the warming of relations between the United States and Russia and the Starlink controversy have also drawn more attention to this incident.
BBC report,Russia chairmanPutin On the 28th it was publicly stated that Russia was working with rich Americansmusk Maintain close contact on satellite technology and praised Musk as a “real genius”. The comments come at a time when relations between the United States and Russia are gradually warming. Ukraine, which has long relied on Starlink to defend itself against Russian forces, suddenly faced Starlink connection problems in mid-October. Musk later admitted that this was a deliberate move by his space exploration technology company SpaceX.
At the Russia-Africa summit in Moscow on the 28th, Putin spoke about Russia’s independently developed satellite network project Rassvet, saying: “Musk is a genius, a true genius. We maintain close contacts with our American partners, including Mr. Musk.”
Putin further explained that it is necessary for Russia to maintain contacts with Musk to ensure that Rassvet and Starlink satellites do not interfere with each other in orbit, and stressed: “We and our American partners take this very seriously. Despite various political issues, the two sides are still actively cooperating.”
According to information released by Starlink, SpaceX has launched approximately 13,000 Starlink satellites so far. In comparison, Russia’s Rassvet currently has just over 20 satellites in orbit. The Russian Embassy in South Africa also released a document on the 28th stating that Rassvet is “the Russian version of the Starlink alternative” and is still in the early stages of development. It also confirmed that Russia and the United States maintain close ties in the space sector, including contacts with Musk. Musk did not respond to comment.
The United States and Russia have recently shown many signs of improving relations. Trump announced a diesel deal with Russia in early October in an effort to reduce rising domestic fuel prices in the United States due to the Iran war; Trump later waived some sanctions against Russia that were originally scheduled to take effect. Shortly thereafter, an American citizen detained by Russia was released, and US Special Envoy Wyckoff described Putin as a “humanitarian”.
However, Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine is scheduled to end five years ago, and Starlink is still a vital communications tool for the Ukrainian military to oppose Russian forces. On the 14th, it was reported that the Ukrainian military suddenly encountered Starlink connection problems; Musk admitted on the 24th that this was a deliberate move by SpaceX, and accused the Ukrainian military of violating its terms of service by using civilian Starlink to launch aggressive drone airstrikes and kill others.
Musk was born in South Africa and later immigrated to Canada and settled in the United States. His companies include Tesla, SpaceX, and Starlink and his business is primarily focused in California and Texas. He is one of the most important political allies and donors of Trump and Republican politicians.
Summary FAQ
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Putin pointed out that Russia is developing the Rassvet satellite network and that it must coordinate orbital operations with systems such as Starlink to avoid interference with each other. Therefore, it needs to maintain contact with Musk and American partners.
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According to reports, SpaceX has launched approximately 13,000 Starlink satellites, while Russia’s Rassvet currently has just over 20 satellites in orbit, making it an option still in the early stages of development.
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In mid-October, the Ukrainian military reported Starlink connection problems. Musk later admitted that this was a deliberate move by SpaceX, and accused the Ukrainian military of violating its terms of service, making Starlink’s ability to continue battlefield support highly controversial.
