SpaceX chief Elon Musk wants to fight Vladimir Putin. Yes, you read that right. The billionaire techno king on Monday said that he wants to battle it out with the Russian President as Moscow continues to invade Ukraine for the third week now. Musk in a tweet said, “I hereby challenge Vladimir Putin to single combat.”
However, before Putin, it seems Musk will have to face Russian space agency Dmitry Rogozin, who responded to the challenge by saying that “You, little devil, are still young, compete with me weak.”
Quoting the Russian poet Alexander Pushkin, Rogozin said, “You, little devil, are still young, Compete with me weak. It would only be a waste of time. Overtake my brother first.”
Musk responded to the challenge by sharing a meme of him with a flame thrower against a picture showing Russian President Vladimir Putin riding a bear. Musk said, “I see you are a tough negotiator! Ok, you can have 10% more pay per view money. He can even bring his bear.”
Musk has been in the spotlight after his company provided internet coverage using its constellation of Starlink satellites as Russian fighters and missiles bombarded Ukrainian cities. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy spoke to Musk and announced the country would receive more of its Starlink satellite internet terminals.
Ты, бесенок, еще молоденек,
— РОГОЗИН (@Rogozin) March 14, 2022
Со мною тягаться слабенек;
Это было б лишь времени трата.
Обгони-ка сперва моего брата.
А. С. Пушкин "Сказка о Попе и работнике его Балде" https://t.co/KuR328iH20
I see you are a tough negotiator!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 15, 2022
Ok, you can have 10% more pay per view money. pic.twitter.com/Nrbkz9IsTP
The billionaire entrepreneur had previously delivered Starlink broadband internet service to the war-hit Ukraine on February 27. He had tweeted saying, “The Starlink service is now active in Ukraine. More terminals en route.” Starlink currently operates a constellation of more than 2,000 satellites that aim to provide satellite-based internet access across the planet.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, after President Vladimir Putin authorised what he called a special military operation to “demilitarise and denazify” Ukraine. The UN has recorded at least 596 civilian deaths since the invasion, though it believes the true toll is much higher. Millions more people have fled their homes, with more than 2.8 million crossing into Poland and other neighboring countries.