Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has accused Elon Musk of remotely disabling a Tesla Cybertruck that he claims was gifted to him by the billionaire. Kadyrov had reportedly received the truck and modified it by mounting a machine gun on top. In August, he was seen proudly driving the vehicle around Grozny, the Chechen capital.
A staunch ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Kadyrov has sent thousands of Chechen fighters to support Russia in its war against Ukraine. In a Telegram post on Thursday, Kadyrov expressed his frustration, accusing Musk of deactivating the Cybertruck from afar and criticizing the move as “unmanly.”
Kadyrov insists that Musk personally gave him the truck, although Musk has denied this claim. Just a month earlier, Kadyrov had announced plans to send the Cybertruck to the frontlines in Ukraine, praising its “maneuverability and crew protection” for military use.
However, experts were quick to debunk Kadyrov’s claims, pointing out that despite its advanced technology and robust appearance, the Tesla Cybertruck would be impractical in real combat situations. Now immobilized, the vehicle had to be towed away. “Why, Elon? That’s not right,” Kadyrov lamented.
He continued to criticize Musk, accusing him of giving expensive gifts only to later disable them remotely. Kadyrov’s initial announcement in August that Musk had gifted him the Cybertruck sparked backlash, as many saw it as Musk aligning with individuals close to Putin, thereby undermining U.S. interests. Musk dismissed these accusations, calling them “just another example of how the legacy media lies.”
In addition to the Cybertruck, Kadyrov had also praised Musk’s Starlink satellite internet system. However, Starlink is not available in Russia, adding a layer of irony to his praise. Last month, as Kadyrov enthusiastically drove the Cybertruck, he extended an invitation to Musk, promising to welcome him as an honored guest, with assurances that Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs would be supportive.
Now, with the Cybertruck no longer functional, Kadyrov’s once positive view of Musk seems to have taken a sharp turn.
