As Starlink curbs rattle Ukraine, Putin calls Elon Musk a ‘real genius’ as Russia plans rival network

SpaceX restricted parts of Starlink’s use in Ukraine, including connectivity needed for military operations. The restrictions exposed Ukraine’s dependence on a privately controlled network during wartime. They also raised questions about who controls access to technology central to national defence.

In October, connectivity problems affected Ukrainian drone attacks and efforts to intercept Russian attack drones. Some operations were cancelled. Elon Musk said SpaceX had enforced its terms after Ukraine allegedly used civilian Starlink for offensive drone strikes. He said that use had never been allowed.

Ukraine said operations were restored on October 24, with speeds returning to required levels. The Wall Street Journal reported that Donald Trump asked Musk to remove the restrictions. The episode showed that changes to a commercial service can immediately affect battlefield communications and military activity.

Starlink is a satellite internet service operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX. It connects users through a large constellation of satellites rather than relying only on damaged or disrupted ground networks. That made it important to Ukraine during Russia’s full-scale invasion, especially where ordinary communications could fail.

Ukraine used Starlink for battlefield communications, drone operations, and air defences. Its connectivity supported drone attacks and efforts to intercept Russian attack drones. The service therefore became more than a commercial connection. It became part of Ukraine’s military communications infrastructure.

The restrictions showed both Starlink’s value and its vulnerability. When access was limited, some operations were cancelled and drone activity was affected. The wider implication is that a privately controlled network can gain strategic importance when a country’s conventional communications are under attack.

Starlink’s satellite constellation is far larger than Russia’s developing Rassvet network. The article describes Starlink as operating thousands of satellites. Russian officials say more than 30 satellites have been launched for Rassvet. These figures show a substantial difference in current scale.

An exact multiple cannot be calculated from the article because “thousands” is not a precise number. Still, even the lowest ordinary meaning of thousands indicates that Starlink has many times more satellites than Rassvet’s current fleet. Russia’s network remains in its early stages, while Starlink already operates at global scale.

Rassvet aims to deploy more than 900 satellites by 2035. That would expand Russia’s capacity, but the network would still be developing toward Starlink’s present scale. The gap highlights the technological challenge facing Russia as it seeks a domestic alternative to foreign satellite internet.

Rassvet is a Russian low-Earth-orbit broadband satellite constellation. Bureau 1440 operates the project. It is designed to provide satellite internet connectivity and create a domestic alternative to Starlink, which has become strategically important in the Ukraine war.

Russia has launched more than 30 satellites for the effort. Bureau 1440 launched its first 16 production satellites in March and a second batch in July. The network is targeting commercial services next year. Its planned scale is more than 900 satellites by 2035.

Rassvet matters because Russia wants to reduce dependence on foreign technology. Putin acknowledged that Moscow is only taking its first steps and that the network remains far smaller than Starlink. Russia must still expand the constellation, build reliable ground infrastructure, and ensure consistent service before Rassvet can rival established systems.

The article presents no single answer for every satellite service. SpaceX controls its commercial Starlink terms and said it restricted use after alleged offensive drone strikes. That gives the company direct authority over how its civilian service is provided. Its private control was central to the controversy.

Military-focused Starshield is different. Musk had previously said limits on Starshield’s speed or usage were decided by the US military and ultimately the US president. The article also reports that Donald Trump spoke to Musk and asked him to remove restrictions. These examples show authority can be shared or divided.

Military commanders may depend on the network, but the article does not say they had final control over access. The practical lesson is that wartime connectivity can depend on company policies, government decisions, and the terms governing a particular service.

A large low-Earth-orbit network is not just a collection of satellites. It also needs reliable ground infrastructure and consistent service. Ground facilities help connect the space network to users and wider communications systems. Without that support, launching more satellites would not guarantee usable internet access.

The article links this challenge to Russia’s Rassvet project. Russia must expand its constellation, establish reliable ground infrastructure, and ensure consistent service. Putin also stressed coordination between Moscow and Washington so satellite networks would not interfere with one another in orbit.

This makes satellite internet an engineering and coordination problem as well as a launch programme. Rassvet is still far smaller than Starlink and is only beginning commercial development. Its future success will depend on building the supporting systems and managing shared orbital space without disrupting other networks.

A communications service becomes a national-security asset when military forces depend on it to operate and defend the country. In Ukraine, Starlink helped maintain connectivity after conventional networks were damaged or disrupted. Its role extended to battlefield communications, drone operations, and air defences.

The consequences were visible when SpaceX restricted use. Ukrainian connectivity problems affected drone attacks and efforts to intercept Russian attack drones, and some operations were cancelled. The dispute showed that control over a commercial network could influence access to capabilities used directly in war.

This dependence creates a strategic vulnerability. Ukraine’s experience highlights the power held by companies that provide critical communications, while Russia’s Rassvet project reflects efforts to build national alternatives. Future conflicts may increasingly depend on satellite systems, their operators, ground infrastructure, and government coordination.