The Kremlin has rubbished claims that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Tesla billionaire Elon Musk have been in constant secret contact since 2022.
The claim, made by the Wall Street Journal, said that Putin and Musk have been sharing secret communications on several subjects over the past few years. The report noted that they have been talking about Starlink and the billionaire’s interest in the upcoming United States general elections.
However, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has refuted the allegations. According to Peskov, both parties have only shared communication once, and it was long before 2022. He clarified that it was a short conversation about technology, noting that there had not been any conversations between them since then.
Kremlin denies WSJ’s accusations
The Wall Street Journal report stated that Elon Musk is following political orders from the Russian president. It hinted that the billionaire’s internet company Starlink refused to provide access to Taiwan on orders from Beijing. The report tied the action to Putin’s diplomatic association with China.
The report also underscores the closeness between Musk and Putin going by his criticism of the United States’ aid to Ukraine and his unwavering support for Democrat presidential candidate Donald Trump.
Peskov clarified that news like this always makes the headlines during the election period in the United States. He noted that political opponents will say anything and stoop to any means.
Emphasizing on the phone call, Peskov clarified that it was to seek opportunities in the technology industry amid other futuristic prospects.
He further added that after that phone call, the duo have not had any conversation since then, rubbishing claims of regular conversations. In his statement, the allegation is just another proof of how heated the presidential campaign has become in the country.
Wall Street Journal’s report maintains that the conversations between both parties might have happened through proxies. It stated that Putin’s first deputy chief of staff who also doubles as a high-ranking Kremlin member invoked in media control Sergei Kiriyenko might be involved.
The report revealed that Kiriyenko was in charge of helping Elon Musk with certain tasks related to content controls, including Russian disinformation on the platform shortly after Musk completed its purchase two years ago.
Kiriyenko has been fingered for spreading state-sponsored information, with the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) accusing him of spreading misinformation on several websites.
Elon Musk’s increasing influence
Elon Musk’s enterprises, including SpaceX and Starlink, have entered into the scope of United States officials. The report emphasized his global satellite influence and the security implications. The report cited the company’s role in national defense via its top clearance and the ability of Starlink to offer internet services even in conflict-prone areas.
When the war between Russia and Ukraine started, Musk’s Starlink donated 15,000 terminals to strengthen communication signals in Ukraine amid Russian attacks. However, the WSJ report highlighted that Ukraine’s usage of Starlink was restricted because of pressure from Moscow.
United States officials have said they have limited knowledge of the allegations, with the Pentagon noting the difficulties surrounding the monitoring of Starlink.
With Musk proudly supporting Trump on his X platform, officials are worried about their ties. This is due to his opinions on transparency and top-secret information. However, despite their many concerns, the US relies on him. With NASA using his SpaceX station to launch astronauts into the international space station, his technology is indispensable.
Elon Musk’s known history with Russia was about 20 years ago with a trip to negotiate the purchases of several rockets. After intense negotiations, both parties failed to agree and the deal did not proceed. His souvenir was a vodka bottle that had his likeness on Mars engraved on it.