August 22, 2024

A Gift from Elon?


A Gift from Elon?
The Tesla Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov claims is a gift from Elon Musk. Kadyrov_95, Telegram.

On August 17, the Head of the Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov, boasted on Telegram that he had allegedly received a Tesla Cybertruck from Elon Musk, the owner of the car company. Kadyrov also claimed he would use his gift in Russia's war on Ukraine.

In a video published by the Chechen leader, he drives around his luxurious palace in Grozny in a Tesla "Cyberbeast" Cybertruck with a dynamic movie soundtrack playing in the background. Kadyrov added his own flare to his alleged gift, installing a machine gun on the roof of the pickup truck. Later in the video, he poses beside his car while wearing a black cloak, with ammunition rounds hanging around his neck.

In a Telegram statement, Kadyrov said the Tesla Cybertruck would be sent to the Northeast Military District and used by Russian soldiers in Ukraine. The Chechen leader wrote, "And, of course, we are waiting for your new developments that will contribute to the completion of [the War in Ukraine]."

After Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Musk aided the Ukrainian defense by providing services from his satellite internet company, Starlink, that helped restore communications on the battlefield. However, as the war prolonged, the tech billionaire changed his tune. Musk now advocates ending U.S. aid to Ukraine, saying "there is no way in hell" Russia can lose the war. In 2024, it was revealed that Russian forces were also using Starlink.

The Chechen leader extended an invitation for Musk to visit Chechnya. Musk has not addressed Kadyrov's gift or invite.

You Might Also Like

Putinites for Putin
  • August 25, 2024

Putinites for Putin

The village of Putino always turns out to vote for Putin. But now even this town has started to call for an end to war.
A QR Crackdown
  • December 14, 2023

A QR Crackdown

Moscow bans QR codes on billboards in response to the Russian political opposition.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Russian Rules

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.
A Taste of Chekhov

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.
White Magic

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.
Survival Russian

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.
Murder at the Dacha

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.
At the Circus (bilingual)

At the Circus (bilingual)

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.
A Taste of Russia

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.
Faith & Humor: Notes from Muscovy

Faith & Humor: Notes from Muscovy

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955