Tesla And SpaceX boss Elon Musk has got into an online spat with Ramzan Kadyrov, the warlord head of the Chechen Republic.
Musk, like so many others, has been disgusted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In a show of solidarity, Musk re-routed his Starlink satellites to help maintain internet connections in Ukraine.
On Monday, in a surprising twist, Musk challenged Putin to a fistfight. He tweeted, “I hereby challenge Vladimir Putin to single combat,” he said, using the Russian alphabet to write Mr Putin’s name.
“Stakes are Ukraine,” he continued, writing the country’s name in Ukrainian.
How about we take this to the next level?
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I hereby challenge
Владимир Путин
to single combatStakes are Україна
— Elona Musk (@elonmusk) March 14, 2022
In a later tweet, he tagged the Kremlin and said, “Do you agree to this fight?”
Although the Kremlin has not responded, one of Putin’s lapdogs, Chechnya’s Ramzan Kadyrov, did.
Related: Finally! The United States condemns queer purges in Chechnya
Kadyrov is the Chechen leader who presided over a purge of gay people that resulted in men being murdered and others being tortured or detained in camps. Kadyrov posted a message to Telegram, which Musk reshared on Twitter.
Thank you for the offer, but such excellent training would give me too much of an advantage.
If he is afraid to fight, I will agree to use only my left hand and I am not even left-handed.
Elona
— Elona Musk (@elonmusk) March 15, 2022
Kadyrov dismissed Musk as “effeminate” and called him “Elona Musk”. He then sarcastically offered Musk combat training. The Tesla boss posted the original and a translation to his Twitter.
“Elon Musk, a word of advice: Don’t measure your strength against that of Putin’s. You’re in two completely different leagues,” Kadyrov said, before praising Putin’s physical prowess.
“Vladimir Vladimirovich [Putin’s middle name] will look unsportsmanlike when he beats the hell out of you, a much weaker opponent. Therefore you’ll need to pump up those muscles in order to change from the gentle (effeminate) Elona into the brutal Elon you need to be. I propose training at one of several centers in Chechen Republic.”
Kadyrov then went on to offer details about the training, including attending, “Russian Special Forces University: Here you will undergo firearms training with world championship special forces, who beat US special forces in 2015 like it was nothing.”
Then he would send Musk to “Akhmat Fight Club: This is where you’ll be trained to take a punch, a quality needed in any fight. Under the guidance of Abuzayed Vismuradov, you will learn to quickly pull yourself up not just physically, but also mentally, giving you nerves of steel.”
Vismuradov, one of Kadyrov’s loyal henchmen, faced US Treasury sanctions in 2019 for the specific role he played in the country’s persecution of gay people.
Related: Russian singer allegedly tortured and killed as part of Chechnya’s antigay pogrom
Kadyrov also said Musk needed to take some lessons in “American methods of ‘black PR’, and teach you how to monitor and update social media accounts. You will return from the Chechen Republic a completely different person Elona, that is, Elon.”
Musk responded by changing his Twitter name to Elona Musk.
In a further tweet, Musk shot back, “Thank you for the offer, but such excellent training would give me too much of an advantage. If he is afraid to fight, I will agree to use only my left hand and I am not even left-handed. Elona.”
At the time of writing, that tweet has had almost a quarter of a million likes and over ten thousand comments.
— YUSUF_YMK {⚡️} (@YUSUF_YMK2) March 15, 2022
Mom, Elon is picking fights with world leaders again.
— unusual_whales (@unusual_whales) March 15, 2022
I think you’re putting Tesla owners at a risk, if Russia hacks into Tesla software and cause car crashes, this could be bad
— Blanco (@blano74) March 15, 2022
elona pic.twitter.com/0xN4bkK4fr
— aerial (@suchhodl) March 15, 2022
Meanwhile .. behind the “Walls of Grozny” pic.twitter.com/kcQzhfXz5a
— •K10•♥️🕊🇺🇦 🦊 (@Kristennetten) March 15, 2022
Cam
How typical of Musk to make a Russian invasion, war crime, and the slaughter of thousands of innocents all about himself.
RyanMBecker
I’m not sure what you’re point is. Musk has altered his satellite system to help Ukraine, which is crucial because this is also very much a war of information. He’s also given money and offered future help. So what’s wrong with a little levity at the expense of Putin and Ladyrov (yes, that was intentional)? Care to show us how Ukraine is harmed by his whimsy? I’d much rather focus on Musk’s practical and concrete efforts than any alleged decorum. Apparently, you’re more superficial.
THAT Steve
Doing one good deed does make the other move less cringe. It also makes me wonder if the good deed was for the free press, which I wouldn’t have thought of before he took a page out of the Doctor Oz playbook.
Fname Optional Lname
That Steve has a point. Doing an anonymous good deed might now have been possible but he certainly didn’t need to toot his own horn as loud as he did. It comes across as being very Trumpian in nature and we all know he wants praise just for throwing rolls of paper towels to a room full of destitute hurricane survivors.
Cam
@RyanMBecker
My point was quite clear. Musk is trying to make everything all about himself. And as for his satellite system, he’s also refusing to pull communications from Russia, so he’s both sidesing it.
If he wanted to help he could have donated, helped a foundation, provided supplies, but no, he puts out a statement similar to people like Mark Wahlberg after 911 who said if HE’D been on the plane he would have taken down the hijackers.
Just a typical narcissist.
Manray
Nice offer from Elon with Starlink in Ukraine. However, 40 of 41 Starlink satellites fell ou t of orbit a nd were destroyed a few weeks ago.
PR. Nothing more
Leash
Urkaine seems to be a joke to Elon, very tasteless.
I’m hoping Kadyrov gets killed just like some of his buddies already did (if he really is in Ukraine like he said).
white-queer-african
I will not comment on a fellow born South African’s statement. Actually I will. He needs to increase his meds!
As for the pic of Kaydyrov, reminded me of quite a number of Capital insurrectionists on the 6th of January.
Chrisk
Putins evil psychopath lapdog needs a bullet between it’s eyes. Hopefully when Putin gets taken out there’s going to be a house cleaning.
fingertrouble
Ramzan Kadyrov is such an obvious closet case and looks like a child with that beard.
barryaksarben
If ever you could just tell by looking at some guys face that he Has a tiny dick he is the guy. Which also explains the extreme hatred of gay men triggering his homophobia
Polaro
Remember when Elona, when requested, sent truck loads of Starlink receivers to Ukraine immediately to aid the Ukraine in the war. Ukraine has taken great advantage of being able to communicate, while the Russians struggle. As far as this challenge to battle, it is typical Musk. He’s a bit nutty. Not always my cup of tea, but I won’t call him out on it. This time.
ZzBomb
Of all the Russian war lords who have already died assaulting Ukraine, why can’t this one?
Kangol2
Kadyrov really got worked up over Putin. Someone has an out-of-control mancrush in addition to being a fanatical homophobic, misogynistic, bloodthirsty cultist.
As for Musk, who has promised self-driving cars and subterranean tubes, etc. to our gullible US media for years without ever being challenged, please, blast yourself into outer space and do not return! Thanks!
BaltoSteve
The Narcissism is strong in these folks!
cubcmh
When I read the title of this article I thought we be digging into some of Kadyrov’s latent homoerotic fantasies, and I thought, “Ooo… what DOES he want to do with an effeminate Musk??”
jt1990
Now this was some good content Queerty! I genuinely enjoyed reading this article. However Lady Musk forgot to point out Putin’s obvious closetedness. Putin’s third world policies are really just a display of his heavily repressed sexuality. Even I can’t imagine harming or killing anyone over their sexuality or mental illness. Removal of lgbt voting rights would do plenty to prevent Leftist takeover. On second thought, maybe Elona did the right thing not mentioning that. Could be why we are still on the map. (s)he is pretty smart I suppose…
Cam
The sad, desperate right wing troll account is spinning out in a desperate attempt to twist any article into an attack on “The Left”.
We get it, the RNC is haveing trouble raking in money, Putin is broke, and they just can’t afford the smart trolls anymore.
Bosch
Bait.
Manray
This is so dumb it makes absolutely no sense a d is just nonsense. Why would you even waste the time writing such a stupid remark?
moretruth
Kadyrov looks like a stubby dicked gnome. Am sure he shaves his mustache so he can go down on Putie without tickling him.
jkb
Someone seriously needs to kick Ramzons ass. Full syop.
Bosch
Appropriate that someone who talks a lot of sh*t has an anus for a mouth.
Fahd
The U.S. State Department or whichever is the appropriate department should call on Mr. Musk and insist that he cease and desist from trying to engage foreign leaders. It just serves to afford these brutal mob boss dictators the opportunity to present themselves in a sympathetic light – some sadly misguided people start seeing them as lovable wrestling villains rather than the killers of innocent people who they actually are. The West is trying to isolate these pariahs for a reason. Oh, also, Teslas aren’t all that – ask some owners.