Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.
Read more
Vladimir Putin has drawn a parallel between Elon Musk and a key figure in the Soviet space race, Sergei Korolev, praising the SpaceX founder as a visionary.
Speaking on Russia’s space policy at a student meeting, Putin reportedly described Musk, a key adviser of President Donald Trump, as “absolutely crazy about Mars,” according to state news agency TASS.
Putin reportedly invoked the legacy of Korolev, the engineer behind Yuri Gagarin’s historic 1961 spaceflight, to highlight the rarity of people like Musk.
TASS quoted Putin as saying: “Such people rarely appear in the human population, charged with a certain idea.
“Even though it may seem incredible to me today, after a time such ideas are often realized.”
This is not the first time the Russian president has commended Musk.
open image in gallery
In 2023, days after a report that Musk refused to let Ukraine use Starlink internet to launch a surprise attack on Russian naval vessels in Crimea, Putin praised the entrepreneur as an “outstanding person” and businessman.
Musk reportedly refused as he did not want to be complicit in a “major” act of war. The refusal was heavily criticised by Ukrainian leaders.
Putin spoke about the success of SpaceX later that week.
“As far as private business and Elon Musk is concerned… he is undoubtedly an outstanding person,” he said.
“This must be recognized, and I think it is recognized all over the world.
“He (Musk) is an active and talented businessman and he is succeeding a lot, including with the support of the American state.”
open image in gallery
Musk has recently drawn attention for his increasingly critical stance on Ukraine amidst the ongoing conflict with Russia.
When Russia invaded in 2022, Musk was seen as one of Ukraine’s key allies, but he has since used his social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to criticize the country’s president Volodymyr Zelensky and amplify misinformation.
In March, after X was targeted by a cyber attack, Musk blamed Ukraine. He then accused a US Democrat senator who visited Kyiv in a show of support of being “a traitor.”
He has questioned the purpose of targeted American aid to Ukraine, scoffed at Zelensky’s pleas for more support, and called for elections to replace him.
