• Musk challenged Putin to one-on-one combat over Ukraine, which Russia invaded on February 24.
  • A Chechen leader is purported to have argued on Telegram that the Russian president would wreck Musk.
  • "If he is afraid to fight, I will agree to use only my left hand and I am not even left-handed," Musk said.

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk doubled down on his challenge to fight Russian President Vladimir Putin saying he'd fight the Russian dictator with his left hand.

Musk tweeted in response to an apparent post from Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov.

Kadyrov, a Putin loyalist, posted a long Telegram post in which he emasculated Musk calling him "Elona" and argued that the Russian President would beat "the hell" out of Musk.

"So you need to go to the gym and get stronger, to turn yourself from a tender Elona into a brutal Elon," he said. (Musk then changed his Twitter name to "Elona Musk.")

The Chechen leader also mockingly suggested three different places for Musk to acquire skills that would make him a worthy opponent to Putin in Kadyrov's eyes including the Russian University of the Spetsnaz, a special forces training school; "Akhmat" Martial Arts School; and the Chechen National Radio and Television company.

"Elon Musk, I suggest you do not challenge Putin. You're in two completely different weight classes," Kadyrov added.

Musk declined the offer for additional training, saying it would give him "too much of an advantage." 

"If he is afraid to fight, I will agree to use only my left hand and I am not even left-handed," he added, signing his tweet with his newly given nickname "Elona."

Musk's original tweet challenging Putin was posted on Monday and written in both English and Cyrillic script: "I hereby challenge Vladimir Putin to single combat. Stakes are Ukraine."

 

Russia invaded its neighboring country of Ukraine on February 24. As of March 14, the war has resulted in at least 600 deaths, though the actual number is likely much higher, according to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Since the war has started, Musk has provided Ukraine with internet by launching satellite Starlink systems, which Ukrainian President Zelenskyy thanked him for. 

SpaceX, Musk's aerospace company, also heckled the head of Russia's space agency Roscosmos, Dmitry Rogozin, during the Starlink system launch.

"Time to let the American broomstick fly and hear the sounds of freedom," SpaceX's launch director said via live stream. 

Translations provided by Nikita Ilyich Angarski.

Read the original article on Business Insider