Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk had a busy day online Monday, first sharing a cryptic meme that simply stated, “I support the current thing,” which set social media users atwitter in trying to decipher what it meant. He also shared a meme that read: “Netflix waiting for the war to end to make a movie about a black Ukraine guy falls in love with a transgender Russian soldier.”
And if that wasn’t enough controversy for the day, the world’s richest man then challenged Russian President Vladimir Putin to a fistfight.
“I hereby challenge Владимир Путин to single combat,” Musk tweeted, adding Putin’s name in Russian. “Stakes are Україна,” he added, this being the Ukrainian spelling for Ukraine.
He then tagged the Kremlin’s official account, to ask in Russian, “Do you agree to this fight?”
Вы согласны на этот бой? @KremlinRussia_E
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 14, 2022
And while you might think Russian officials would have their hands full with all the messy work that comes with invading a sovereign nation unprovoked and indiscriminately killing thousands of citizen noncombatants, to include children, turns out Dmitry Rogozin, director general of Roscosmos, the Russian space program, had some free time to respond.
Concerned that at the age of 50, Musk might have a leg up on 69-year-old Putin, Rogozin offered to act in the dictator’s steed at a younger age of 58.
“You, little devil, are still young,” Rogozin tweeted. “Compete with me weakling; It would only be a waste of time. Overtake my brother first.”
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
The tweet prompted a comeback from Musk, who tweeted: “I see you are a tough negotiator! Ok, you can have 10% more pay per view money.”
I see you are a tough negotiator!
Ok, you can have 10% more pay per view money. pic.twitter.com/Nrbkz9IsTP
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 15, 2022
Musk has been actively engaged in the invasion of Ukraine from the beginning, initiating an effort early on to activate Starlink service in the country after Russia disrupted internet service.
In a follow-up tweet, Musk said that Putin “can even bring his bear,” adding: “And … um … [flicks wrist] we should form a book club.”
He included a passage in Russian which translates: “‘A fool with a heart and no mind is just as unfortunate a fool as a fool with a mind without a heart.’ Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Idiot.”
And … um … [flicks wrist] we should form a book club.
“Дура с сердцем и без ума такая же несчастная дура, как и дура с умом без сердца.”
Федор Достоевский, Идиот— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 15, 2022
Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov took advantage of the opportunity to plug a fundraiser he has been pushing to send Putin into space, reportedly using the proceeds to repair damaged Ukrainian infrastructure being leveled by Russian missiles and artillery.
“I am sure that @elonmusk can send Putin to Jupiter,” Federov tweeted.
Fedorov has been running a fundraiser to launch Putin into space for weeks, saying the proceeds would go to repairing damaged Ukrainian infrastructure.
— Mykhailo Fedorov (@FedorovMykhailo) March 14, 2022
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Tom Tillison grew up in Maryland before moving to Central Florida as a young teen. It is in the Sunshine State that he honed both his passion for politics and his writing skills. Tillison also contributes to BizPac Review.
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