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

Fish: A History of One Migration

Fish: A History of One Migration

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.
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.
The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.
Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.
Murder and the Muse

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.
The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar (bilingual)

The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar (bilingual)

The fables of Ivan Krylov are rich fonts of Russian cultural wisdom and experience – reading and understanding them is vital to grasping the Russian worldview. This new edition of 62 of Krylov’s tales presents them side-by-side in English and Russian. The wonderfully lyrical translations by Lydia Razran Stone are accompanied by original, whimsical color illustrations by Katya Korobkina.
The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.  
Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.
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.

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