--- title: "Russia Says Thanks Elon Musk, We Love You Too" description: "The Kremlin is lauding its occasional foe Elon Musk after he quite unpopularly advised Ukraine to give in to Russia's demands. " date: "2022-10-04" modified: "2022-10-04" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/russia-loves-elon-musk-now" categories: - "Elon Musk" - "Future Society" - "The Industrialists" tags: - "elon musk" - "Russia" - "the digest" - "ukraine" --- # Russia Says Thanks Elon Musk, We Love You Too ![The Kremlin is lauding its occasional foe Elon Musk after he quite unpopularly advised Ukraine to give in to Russia's demands. ]() *\Image: Getty Images/Futurism\* ## Kremlin \<3 Elon The Kremlin is lauding its [occasional foe Elon Musk]() after he — quite unpopularly, in many circles — [advised Ukraine to give in to Russia's demands](). After [Musk posted a controversial Twitter poll]() — yes, he really tried to do foreign relations via Twitter poll — that infuriated Ukrainians and their allies, multiple Kremlin officials took to the Telegram messaging app to issue some slightly backhanded praise for the SpaceX and Tesla CEO's remarks. As the [independent Russian news site *Meduza* notes](), a translated [Telegram update]() posted by Russian presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said that it was "actually quite positive" that Musk was, "unlike professional diplomats," seeking "a path towards peacefully resolving the situation." "Musk tries to find a way towards reaching peace," Peskov continued. "And reaching peace is completely impossible without meeting Russia’s conditions." ## Realpolitiking In [another Telegram post](), former Russian president and prime minister Dmitry Medvedev also praised the Twitter-happy — and [quite possibly Twitter-acquiring]() — billionaire. "Well done, Musk, it must be said," Medvedev, who now serves as the deputy head of Russia's security council, wrote. "He’s worthy of a promotion to the next officer’s rank. In his next post he might say something like ‘Ukraine is an artificial state’.” Yet another Dmitry had something more biting — and characteristically insensitive — to add to the Telegram hubbub. In his own post, Roscosmos head Dmitry Rogozin joked that Musk's change of heart regarding Ukraine may have been influenced by Anna Kikina, the Russian space agency's single female active service cosmonaut who is slated to [hitch a ride to the International Space Station]() on a SpaceX Crew Dragon tomorrow. "That’s what a Russian woman has done to the American," Rogozin, who [has been known]() to [trade chauvinist threats]() with Musk, [wrote on his Telegram channel](). While these social media testimonials are no doubt politically strategic in nature, it's nevertheless pretty freakin' weird to see Kremlin officials lauding Musk, specifically given that six months ago he quite literally said he [wanted to personally fight Russian President Vladimir Putin](). But then again, these are all in response to him apparently [turning coat on the Ukraine invasion]() — which isn't all that surprising, given his [track record](). **More Elon-ism:** [*Here's The Wildest Elon Musk Texts That Were Just Released in Court*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()