The recent report by the Wall Street Journal claiming that Elon Musk and Vladimir Putin have been in regular contact over the past two years has been denied by the Kremlin. According to the report, the world’s richest man has been in touch with the Russian president discussing personal topics, business matters, and geopolitical tensions. However, both the Kremlin and Mr. Musk have refuted the claims made in the report.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that the report is untrue and mentioned that the only contact between the two individuals occurred before 2022. Despite Mr. Musk previously mentioning a conversation in April 2021, the new report suggests that there were more discussions between them. Mr. Musk took to social media to dismiss the report, accusing The Wall Street Journal of bias.
The report also alleged that during their conversations, Mr. Putin requested Mr. Musk not to activate his Starlink satellite internet service over Taiwan as a favor to Chinese leader Xi Jinping. It was also mentioned that several officials were unaware of Mr. Musk’s connections with Mr. Putin. Additionally, Mr. Musk was said to have spoken with high-ranking Russian officials, including Sergei Kiriyenko, Mr. Putin’s first deputy chief of staff.
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Mr. Musk expressed support for Kyiv and donated Starlink terminals to provide free internet access to areas under attack. However, in the past, he declined a Ukrainian request to activate his satellite network during an attempted attack on Russian ships. Dmitry Rogozin, Russia’s former space chief, has threatened Mr. Musk over his support for Ukraine and has criticized him on social media.
Mr. Musk’s company, SpaceX, which operates the Starlink service, is a key player in launching rockets for the Pentagon and NASA. He has also been involved in political campaigns, supporting Donald Trump and making significant donations to his election efforts. NBC News has reached out to Mr. Musk for further comments on the matter.
In conclusion, despite the reports of regular contact between Elon Musk and Vladimir Putin, both parties have denied the claims, emphasizing that their interactions have been limited. The allegations of political favors and international influence remain unsubstantiated, with the true nature of their relationship still unclear.
