The strongman of the Russian republic of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, released a video on Saturday showing him driving a Tesla Cybertruck equipped with a cannon and praising the automaker’s billionaire owner, Elon Musk.
Kadyrov, who has ruled Chechnya with an iron fist for more than 17 years, is an avowed ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and says he has sent thousands of troops to support the Kremlin in its offensive in Ukraine.
According to a video posted on his Telegram channel, the 47-year-old Chechen leader was seen driving the truck as it drove through the regional capital of Grozny.
There appeared to be a machine gun mounted on the roof of the vehicle.
“I express my sincere gratitude to Elon Musk. He is undoubtedly the strongest genius of our time and a specialist. A great man,” Kadyrov said in a post accompanying the video and invited Musk to visit him in Russia.
“Due to these excellent characteristics, the Cybertruck will soon be sent to the area of the special military operation, where it will be in demand under the appropriate conditions,” he added, referring to the name the Kremlin gives to its Ukraine offensive.
The Cybertruck is an electric pickup truck that was first introduced by US automaker Tesla in 2019 before going into production last year.
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