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The most concerning elements of Musk’s role in Trump’s campaign, and in Trump’s potential second administration, have arguably nothing to do with Musk tanking the American economy or causing what he calls “hardship” by gutting the federal government. They have instead to do with underremarked revelations from last week: As the Wall Street Journal reported, Musk is in “regular contact” with Russian despot Vladimir Putin, acting as a back-channel with Moscow.

[…]

For years, he has increasingly regurgitated Kremlin talking points, especially regarding Ukraine. In late 2022, with Russian troops starting to be pushed out of much of eastern Ukraine, Musk began broadcasting Kremlin talking points to halt Ukrainian advances. He started peddling Russian propaganda claims that Ukrainian territories like Crimea are “absolutely seen as a core part of Russia by Russia”—and that Russia would resort to nuclear war if Crimea was threatened by Kyiv. He further peddled a supposed “peace plan” that would not only return Ukraine to neutrality—the same neutrality Ukraine enjoyed when Russia first invaded in 2014—but further force Ukraine to give up its claims to Crimea.

[…]

For those familiar with the region and Russian politics, Musk’s additional calls to have Ukrainian water flow to the peninsula, while also dubbing Ukraine’s claims to Crimea as “Khruschev’s mistake,” were immediate red flags, directly parroting Kremlin rhetoric. “It’s very clear that Elon Musk is transmitting a message for Putin,” Russia expert Fiona Hill said at the time. Soon thereafter, we learned that Musk had specifically blocked a Ukrainian military mission from targeting the peninsula, with Musk waffling in the face of Russian nuclear threats—arguably the only time Putin’s nuclear saber-rattling has actually worked.

[…]

  • Breve@pawb.social
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    4 days ago

    I have a sneaking suspicion that when Elon got involved in the Ukraine war via Starlink, Putin reminded him that he might mysteriously fall off a balcony or catch a sudden case of polonium and Elon has become a lapdog for him ever since.

    • drdiddlybadger@pawb.social
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      4 days ago

      More like Elons past behavior with Epstein, Diddy and some unnamed co conspirator would come to very public light.

      That and he would be banned from the evil mf discord.

    • coyotino [he/him]@beehaw.org
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      4 days ago

      Do we really think the Kremlin could assassinate an oligarch that resides in a foreign country that is hostile to Russia? Genuinely asking, because I always assume US billionaires are effectively untouchable. I know Putin has assassinated oligarchs within his own country, but given that Putin is the reason they were rich, one assumes he built up a fair amount of leverage on them before they obtained power.

      • Breve@pawb.social
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        4 days ago

        Many of those cases happened outside Russia in countries like Britain and Spain. Musk leaves the US on a regular basis too.

        This is conjecture but there’s growing evidence that Trump was sharing US intelligence with Putin and would likely do the same again. If you can’t beat them, join them I guess.