---
title: "Putin Announces «Close Cooperation» with Musk and Brags About Russian Starlink Analog «Rassvet»"
description: "On October 28, Vladimir Putin announced Russia's «close cooperation» with Elon Musk in space and called the «Rassvet» system a Starlink analog. Currently, only 32 out of the required 250+ satellites are in orbit."
date: 2026-10-28T19:00:16.554Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/putin-announces-cooperation-with-musk-and-rassvet
tags: [putin, elon-musk, spacex, starlink, rassvet, russia-space, satellites, orbital-infrastructure]
author: "Andrey Kosynko"
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Putin Announces «Close Cooperation» with Musk and Brags About Russian Starlink Analog «Rassvet»

![Vladimir Putin speaks at a press conference commenting on space cooperation and the Rassvet project](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/28/putin-zayavil-o-sotrudnichestve-s-maskom-i-analoge-starlink-rassvet/putin-zayavil-o-sotrudnichestve-s-maskom-i-analoge-starlink-rassvet-1.webp)

## Key Points

- Putin announced «close cooperation» with Musk and called him «a genial person»
- The «Rassvet» system was called the «Russian analog» of Starlink but remains in its «first steps» stage
- Currently, 32 satellites are in orbit out of more than 250 needed for global coverage
- Ukraine's GUR previously identified the developers of the «Rassvet» project

On October 28, Vladimir Putin stated during a public speech that Russia maintains «close contact» with the United States in the space sector, specifically with SpaceX founder Elon Musk. According to the Russian leader, interaction with American partners is driven by the need «not to interfere with each other» in orbit and to maintain «a certain discipline and order». This was reported by RBC-Ukraine citing RIA Novosti and the TSN TV channel.

### «A Genial Person»: Evaluating Musk and the Status of the «Rassvet» Project

Putin called Elon Musk «a genial person», referencing the fact that SpaceX has placed thousands of Starlink satellites into orbit. At the same time, the Russian leader emphasized that the domestic low-earth-orbit broadband satellite communication system «Rassvet», which he explicitly called the «Russian analog» of Starlink, is currently only at the stage of «first steps». Thus, Moscow publicly acknowledges the significant technological lag of its own project behind the American competitor.

### Launch Chronology: From the First 16 Devices to the Serial Batch

According to data provided in Ukrainian media reports, the first 16 satellites of the «Rassvet» system were launched into orbit in March 2026. By the end of May, it was reported that the devices were in the testing phase, with no signs of military application recorded at that time. The second launch of serial devices took place on July 19, sending another 16 satellites into orbit, as confirmed by independent orbital databases.

### Technical Gap: 32 Devices Versus the Required 250+

To provide the round-the-clock global coverage announced by Moscow, the «Rassvet» constellation must number more than 250 devices. Currently, only 32 satellites are in orbit—less than 13% of the required minimum. This means that even with successful testing completion and no technical failures, a significant time and technological gap remains before the system is fully operational.

### Ukrainian Intelligence: Who Is Behind «Rassvet»

Earlier, the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine released information about the developers and manufacturers involved in the implementation of the «Rassvet» project. According to the GUR, several Russian enterprises are participating in the creation of the system, allowing Kyiv to track the technological capabilities and limitations of the Russian satellite program. The publication of these data became part of a broader analytical effort to monitor Moscow's space ambitions.

### Context: Orbital Discipline as a Tool of Diplomacy

Putin's statement on the need to «observe discipline and order» in orbit came against the backdrop of growing space congestion. The Starlink satellite constellation already numbers over 7,000 devices, and similar projects are being deployed in China and Europe. Under these conditions, any maneuvers or collisions in orbit pose risks to multiple operators. Moscow's public rhetoric about «cooperation» with SpaceX can be viewed as an attempt to legitimize its own presence in low orbits and reduce the likelihood of incidents that carry heightened risks of escalation amid geopolitical confrontation.

## Fact-Check & Sources

- [Путин похвастался российским "аналогом" Starlink и заявил о контактах с Маском](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/putin-pohizuvavsya-rosiyskim-analogom-starlink-1793196500.html) - Primary source. Contains direct quotes from Putin, launch data (March, July 19), information on 250+ satellites for coverage, and mention of GUR data.
- [Путин назвал Маска гением и похвастался российским аналогом Starlink "Рассвет" - детали заявления](https://tsn.ua/ru/svit/putin-nazval-maska-geniem-i-pohvastalsya-rossiyskim-analogom-starlink-rassvet-detali-zayavleniya-3202083.html) - Confirms the date of the statement (October 28), the quote about cooperation with Musk, the status of «Rassvet» as a Starlink analog, and data on the first 16 satellites.

## FAQ

### What is «Rassvet» and what is its current status?

«Rassvet» is a Russian low-earth-orbit broadband satellite communication system that Putin called a Starlink analog. There are 32 devices in orbit (16 in each of two launches in March and July 19, 2026). Over 250 satellites are required for full global coverage.

### What exactly did Putin say about cooperation with Elon Musk?

Putin stated that Russia «closely cooperates» with American partners, including Musk, because it is important in orbit «not to interfere with each other» and to maintain «discipline and order». He also called Musk «a genial person».

### Are there any signs of military application for the «Rassvet» satellites?

According to Ukrainian sources, as of the end of May 2026, no signs of military application of the devices were recorded—the satellites were in the testing phase.

### Who, according to Ukrainian intelligence, is developing «Rassvet»?

The Main Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine previously released information about developers and manufacturers involved in the project, although the specific list of enterprises was not disclosed in the provided materials.