Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov accused billionaire Elon Musk of remotely deactivating a Tesla Cybertruck that Kadyrov claims was gifted to him in August.
A Gift From Musk?
Kadyrov, who has ruled Chechnya with an iron fist for over 17 years, shared a video earlier this year of himself driving a Tesla Cybertruck, with a mounted machine gun on the back, according to Digi24.
Kadyrov asserts that the vehicle had been gifted by Musk, but Musk denied this claim on the social platform X, calling it a fabrication.
In a message on Telegram, Kadyrov stated: “Recently, Musk remotely deactivated the Cybertruck,” adding, “It’s not nice of Elon Musk to act this way. He gives expensive gifts from the heart and then deactivates them remotely.”
Supporter of Putin
Tesla's Cybertruck, introduced in 2019, officially began production in 2023. Kadyrov claims the vehicle was used in military operations and sent to Ukraine, where it “performed admirably.”
Ramzan Kadyrov is a staunch supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin and has reportedly sent thousands of Chechen soldiers to aid Russia in its ongoing war in Ukraine.
His criticism of Musk comes at a time when the war and its technological aspects are attracting global attention, making the unusual accusation all the more notable.
