Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Musk challenges Putin to ‘single combat’ over Ukraine, Russia responds: 'Weakling'

Musk challenges Putin to ‘single combat’ over Ukraine, Russia responds: 'Weakling'

Tesla and SpaceX CEO has been sending Starlink broadband technology to Ukraine after Russian airstrikes, cyberattacks compromised internet access

Tesla CEO and SpaceX founder Elon Musk wrote to his 77.7 million Twitter followers on Monday that he was challenging Russian President Vladimir Putin to single combat and wagering Ukraine.

"I hereby challenge Владимир Путин to single combat," Musk wrote, using Putin’s Russian name.

He added, "Stakes are Україна," using the Ukrainian spelling for Ukraine.

In Cyrillic script and tagging the Kremlin’s official account, Musk asked, "Do you agree to this fight?"


The tweet prompted a nearly immediate response from the head of the Russian space agency, Roscosmos, who has traded wars of words with Musk in the past.

"You, little devil, are still young," Dmitry Rogozin, director general of Roscosmos since 2018, wrote. "Compete with me weakling; It would only be a waste of time. Overtake my brother first."

Rogozin then cited the 17th fairytale by Russian poet A. S. Pushkin titled "The Tale of the Priest and of His Workman Balda." The story is about a lazy Russian orthodox priest who elects a simpleton as a cheap laborer, who then ends up outsmarting his master and driving him crazy in the end.


Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov chimed in: "I am sure that @elonmusk can send Putin to Jupiter."


Fedorov has been running a fundraiser to launch Putin into space for weeks, saying the proceeds would go to repairing damaged Ukrainian infrastructure.

The fourth round of talks between Russian and Ukrainian dignitaries were underway Monday since Putin first launched an invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24.

Since early in the war, Musk has been sending shipments of SpaceX Starlink terminals meant to alleviate internet disruptions Ukraine was experiencing amid Russian shelling and cyberattacks.

In a historic twist on war after the advent of social media, it was Fedorov who on Feb. 26 first tweeted at Musk, writing that "while you try to colonize Mars — Russia try [tries] to occupy Ukraine! While your rockets successfully land from space — Russian rockets attack Ukrainian civil people! We ask you to provide Ukraine with Starlink stations and to address sane Russians to stand."

Tesla and SpaceX Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk speaks at the SATELLITE Conference and Exhibition in Washington, Monday, March 9, 2020. Musk is asking a federal judge to nullify a subpoena from securities regulators, Tuesday, March 8, 2022

Musk coolly responded that Starlink service is now active in Ukraine and more terminals were en route.

Amid concerns that in Russian controlled airspace, the "uplink" transmissions could be used as beacons for Russian airstrikes, Musk warned Ukrainian users to place antennas as far away from people as possible and to cover them with light camouflage. Fedorov thanked Starlink for keeping cities connected but also warned generators were needed as Russian shelling was destroying infrastructure. Musk said he was working to update the software to reduce peak power consumption, ideally so terminals could be powered with cigarette lighters.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Musk for "supporting Ukraine with words and deeds," saying he was to receive another batch of Starlink systems for destroyed cities this week.


According to its website, Starlink uses advanced satellites in a low orbit to enable video calls, online gaming, streaming and other high data that historically have not been possible with satellite internet. In a public address shared on Telegram, Rogozin decried Musk’s deploying of previously "civilian" technology during a military conflict in an effort to disrupt Russian interests in Ukraine.


Earlier this month, Rogozin told Russian state-run media that Moscow would no longer supply rocket engines to the U.S. following President Biden’s economic sanctions over the war in Ukraine.

"In a situation like this, we can't supply the United States with our world's best rocket engines," he said, according to Reuters. "Let them fly on something else, their broomsticks. I don't know what."


Last Wednesday, Space X’s Falcon 9 launched 48 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. In video of the launch, an unidentified launch director is heard declaring, "Time to let the American broomstick fly and hear the sounds of freedom."

Musk also tweeted video of the launch, writing "American Broomstick."

The South African-born American entrepreneur, who also co-founded the electronic-payment firm PayPal, has been vocal about the conflict in Ukraine, previously urging Europe to restart its nuclear power stations for the sake of national and international security and encouraging the U.S. to increase domestic oil output, recognizing it could negatively impact Tesla, an electric car company.

He garnered praise from former President Donald Trump, who at a rally in South Carolina described the billionaire entrepreneur as a "guy that I like and respect… friend of mine."

"He runs an electric car company and is calling for Biden to increase oil and gas production, but Biden won’t do it because he does not have the will to stand up to AOC," Trump said Saturday.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
JD Vance Warns Europe Faces “Civilizational Suicide” Over Open Borders and Speech Limits
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
Intel Reports Revenue Beats but Sees 81% Rise in Losses
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
Tulsi Gabbard Unveils Evidence Alleging Political Manipulation of Intelligence During Trump Administration
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Trump Announces Coca-Cola to Shift to Cane Sugar in U.S. Production
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
Moonshot AI Unveils Kimi K2: A New Open-Source AI Model
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
×