Russian President Vladimir Putin, in his speech at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on September 12, praised Elon Musk, the SpaceX and Tesla CEO, and described him as an “active, talented businessman” and “an outstanding person”.
Putin also said criminal charges against Trump were 'politically' motivated. Musk came under the scanner after he turned off his company’s Starlink satellite communications network near the Russian-occupied Crimean coast, which thwarted a Ukrainian drone strike on the Russian Black Sea fleet in 2022.
“As far as private business and Elon Musk is concerned… he is undoubtedly an outstanding person. This must be recognised, and I think it is recognised all over the world,” Putin said without mentioning the Starlink controversy.
Putin, who skipped the recently concluded G20 summit that was held in India also said that charges against Trump show the “rottenness of the American political system.”
Trump currently faces several criminal charges including an alleged attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential elections and hush payments to pornstar Stormy Daniels, with whom, Trump allegedly had relations. US Democratic Party Senator Elizabeth Warren has called for an investigation of Musk’s actions to protect the Russian fleet from a Ukrainian attack.