In a recent address to students at Bauman Moscow State Technical University, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed admiration for tech billionaire Elon Musk, dubbing him a rare visionary. According to reports from Russian state media outlet TASS, Putin highlighted Musk’s ambitious ideas, particularly regarding space exploration.
Putin compares Musk to historical figures
During his speech, Putin remarked, “You know, there’s a man — he lives in the [United] States — Musk, who, one might say, raves about Mars.” He emphasized that individuals with such innovative visions are not commonly found throughout history, stating, “It is not often that such people, charged with a certain idea, appear in the human population.” In his comparisons, Putin likened Musk to Sergei Korolev, the esteemed Soviet rocket engineer who played a pivotal role in the USSR’s space program during the intense Space Race of the mid-20th century.
Previous praises and controversy
This is not the first instance of Putin commending Musk. In an interview with former Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson last year, Putin expressed that there is “no stopping Elon Musk” and voiced his hope to “find common ground” on significant issues like artificial intelligence. However, Musk’s actions and comments have drawn criticism from various quarters, particularly from Kyiv, which has accused him of echoing Kremlin narratives regarding Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Furthermore, Musk has faced backlash for his remarks on U.S. aid to Ukraine, arguing that support should be contingent upon having a clear endgame, and he has not shied away from criticizing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.