On Monday, Tesla CEO and SpaceX founder Elon Musk challenged Vladimir Putin to a duel, daring the Russian dictator to fight him in single combat over Ukraine.
“I hereby challenge Владимир Путин to single combat,” Musk wrote to his 77.7 million Twitter followers, using Putin’s Russian name.
He added, “Stakes are Україна,” using the Ukrainian spelling for Ukraine.
Tagging the Kremlin’s official account, Musk asked, “Do you agree to this fight?”
The tweet prompted a nearly immediate response from people across the world, including Ukrainian and Russian officials.
Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov who wrote: “I am sure that @elonmusk can send Putin to Jupiter.”
Dmitry Rogozin, 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,” Rogozin wrote. “Compete with me weakling; It would only be a waste of time. Overtake my brother first.”
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.
Check the thread below:
Вы согласны на этот бой? @KremlinRussia_E
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 14, 2022
— Mykhailo Fedorov (@FedorovMykhailo) March 14, 2022
Ты, бесенок, еще молоденек,
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
— РОГОЗИН (@Rogozin) March 14, 2022
Talked to @elonmusk. I’m grateful to him for supporting Ukraine with words and deeds. Next week we will receive another batch of Starlink systems for destroyed cities. Discussed possible space projects 🚀. But I’ll talk about this after the war.
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 5, 2022
