Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly praised Elon Musk on October 28, 2026, calling the SpaceX head a "real genius" and confirming the two are in close contact over Rassvet, Russia's satellite connectivity project.
Putin's remarks followed discussions with Musk about Rassvet, which BBC News Science described as Russia's equivalent of SpaceX's Starlink internet service. TechCrunch reported Putin's words as "Truly a genius," while BBC News Science quoted him saying "Real genius."
The two leaders have been in direct communication about the project, Putin confirmed, characterizing the contact as "close."