Elon Musk ‘changes name’ to Elona after Russian warlord’s taunt

Elon Musk has made an unexpected change after he was taunted by a staunch ally of Vladimir Putin.

Elon Musk challenged Vladimir Putin to a high-stakes duel for control of Ukraine> Picture: AFP.

Elon Musk has ‘changed his name’ to Elona after he was taunted by a staunch ally of Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

Chechnya’s leader weighed in on the billionaire’s dare to Mr Putin to decide the fate of Ukraine with a “single combat” saying the Tesla owner is “effeminate” and was out of his league.

As Russian and Ukrainian negotiators met for another round of talks on Monday, Mr Musk tweeted the direct challenge to the invading army’s president.

“I hereby Vladimir Putin to single combat. Stakes are Ukraine,” he said, using Russian and Ukrainian language for effect.

He later tweeted directly at the Kremlin, asking if they “agree to this fight”.

Вы согласны на этот бой? @KremlinRussia_E

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 14, 2022

But on Wednesday, the Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov took to Telegram to post the following: “Elon Musk, a word of advice. Don’t measure your strength against that of Putin’s. You are in two completely different leagues”.

Mr Kadyrov described Mr Musk as “effeminate” and recommended he train at the Russian Special Forces University, Akhmat Fight Club.

Ramzan Kadyrov smiling as he speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow. Picture: Alexey NIKOLSKY / SPUTNIK / AFP

“You will return from the Chechen Republic a completely different person Elona, that is, Elon,” Kadyrov wrote, using the female version of Musk’s name.

Mr Musk cheekily responded by changing his name on Twitter to Elona Musk.

Elon Musk changes name after Russia threat

The Tesla founder then laid down another challenge to Mr Putin.

“Thank you for the offer, but such excellent training would give me 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. Elona”

Mr Musk has been live-tweeting the Russia-Ukraine war since it began more than three weeks ago.

After launching another volley of 48 Starlink satellites into orbit on Friday, he trolled the head of Russian space agency Roscosmos, Dimitry Rogozin, who said Americans would be denied access to the country’s rockets and would have to “fly on something else like their broomsticks”.

Mr Musk replied to a screenshot of Rogozin’s remarks by linking to a previous launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket along with the phrase “American broomstick” and four American flags.

Elon Musk’s Falcon 9 rocket launches 58 Starlink satellites into orbit. Picture: SpaceX

Shortly before challenging the leader of Russia to the high-stakes fight, Mr Musk quoted a line from Shakespeare’s Macbeth, “by the pricking of my thumbs”, which is one half of a phrase ending with “something wicked this way comes.”

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Elon Musk for providing internet connectivity in Ukraine and personally invited him to visit the country.

Mr Musk did not provide any details on how, exactly, this “single combat” would take place. But the practice of duelling has been outlawed in most of the western world since the mid-1800s.

Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting with members of the Security Council. Picture: AFP.

Originally published as Elon Musk ‘changes name’ to Elona after Russian warlord’s taunt