In a development that surprises absolutely no one with a working knowledge of flattery, Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared SpaceX CEO Elon Musk “truly a genius.” The two are reportedly in “close contact” regarding Rassvet, Russia’s homegrown answer to Starlink - because nothing says “global innovation” like a late entry to a satellite internet race.

Speaking at the Russia-Africa Summit on Wednesday, Putin gushed, “Elon Musk is a genius, truly a genius. He has already had more than 5,000 such satellites in orbit, while we are only taking the first steps.” It’s the kind of compliment usually reserved for a toddler who’s just mastered the potty, but applied here to a billionaire with a rocket company.

The budding bromance comes with geopolitical baggage. Musk has recently expressed frustration with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, whose country has been fending off a Russian invasion since 2022. After the U.S. eased sanctions on Russia earlier this month, Ukrainian officials grew anxious that Ukraine might lose access to Starshield - the military-grade version of Starlink that Ukrainian forces depend on for battlefield communications.

Those concerns weren’t exactly unfounded. For about 10 days earlier this month, Ukrainian drones experienced frequent connectivity losses. According to The Wall Street Journal, Musk personally ordered SpaceX to limit Ukraine’s Starlink access, though other reports suggest the order came from the White House. Musk, in his characteristic style, took to X to claim Ukraine had violated Starlink’s terms of service by using the tech for “offensive drone strikes to kill people.” Because nothing says “terms of service violation” like a literal war zone.

Starlink service in Ukraine appears to have since resumed normal operations - presumably after everyone had a nice long think about the phrase “offensive drone strikes.”

Musk also offered a helpful clarification on X: “Were Starlink to be turned off, the Ukrainian front line would collapse immediately. This is NOT a threat, it is simply a statement of fact.” Ah, the classic “not a threat, just a fact” defense - beloved by toddlers, supervillains, and now, apparently, satellite executives.