Putin says Russia is in contact with Elon Musk on satellite constellations

Vladimir Putin says Russia has been talking with Elon Musk about low-Earth-orbit satellite constellations. That is a notable claim, given the state of relations between Moscow and the West.

The Russian president confirmed the contact on October 28, 2026. He described Musk as a “brilliant person” and framed the exchanges as meaningful for the country’s space ambitions.

The timing matters. Russia is building its own satellite network, called Rassvet, as a sovereign alternative to SpaceX’s Starlink.

What Putin actually said

Putin’s statement was short on specifics. He said Russia is discussing low-Earth-orbit satellite constellations with Musk.

No formal collaboration or agreement between Musk and the Kremlin on satellite technology has been verified beyond Putin’s own remarks. So for now, the only public source for the relationship is one side of it.

Inside Russia’s Rassvet project

Rassvet translates to “Dawn.” The project is led by Bureau 1440 and operates under the oversight of Roscosmos, Russia’s state space corporation.

VTB Bank is among its investors. That puts one of Russia’s major state-linked lenders behind the effort.

Russia accelerated the program after losing access to Starlink services amid geopolitical tensions.

The first 16 Rassvet satellites launched on March 23, 2026. A second batch followed on July 20, 2026.

Approximately 30 to 40 Rassvet satellites were in orbit as of mid-to-late October 2026. The target is 292 satellites operational by 2027. Longer-term projections extend to over 900 by 2035.

A different altitude, a different purpose

Rassvet satellites operate at roughly 800 km above Earth. Starlink’s satellites sit at around 550 km.

The network also incorporates military capabilities central to Russian defense planning. Those include drone control and missile targeting.

The sanctions question

Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence, known as HUR, has identified 49 Russian and Belarusian companies as part of the Rassvet project.

Of those, 23 remain unsanctioned by international coalitions.

What this means

Putin’s comments are the only public confirmation of the contact, and no agreement has been verified.

For Western regulators, the comments are likely to sharpen attention on technology export controls. Rassvet’s military functions and its partly unsanctioned supplier base make it a natural target for further measures. The 23 firms flagged by HUR but not yet sanctioned are the obvious place to watch.

Russia has roughly 30 to 40 satellites in orbit and wants 292 by 2027.