Tesla CEO Elon Musk said Monday that he was challenging Russian President Vladimir Putin to single combat over Ukraine.
“I hereby challenge ???????? ????? to single combat,” he tweeted, using Putin’s Russian name.
“Stakes are ???????,” he added, with the Ukrainian spelling for Ukraine.
Tagging the Kremlin’s official account, Musk asked “Do you agree to this fight?” in Cyrillic script.
The head of the Russian space agency, Roscosmos, quickly responded to Musk’s tweet.
“You, little devil, are still young, Compete with me weak; It would only be a waste of time. Overtake my brother first,” said Dmitry Rogozin, director general of Roscosmos.
Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov tweeted “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,” reported Fox News.
After the prime minister asked Musk for help early in the war, Musk has been sending SpaceX Starlink terminals to alleviate internet disruptions in Ukraine.
One Twitter user asked Musk “Will you be surprised when he accepts your challenge?” “It would be an honor,” he responded.