President Vladimir Putin tells Russian students about Elon Musk: You know, there's a person who lives in America and is absolutely ...

Tesla CEO Elon Musk seems to have what can be called a 'very powerful fan following' in Russia. As his fandom in the country includes no other than the Russian President Vladimir Putin . According to Russian state news agency TASS (as reported by AP), Putin lauded Musk, likening him to Sergei Korolev, the pioneering Soviet engineer credited with launching the USSR's early space achievements. Speaking at a meeting with students about Russia’s space policy, Putin described Musk as a visionary comparable to Korolev, who played a critical role in sending the first human, Yuri Gagarin, into space in 1961. “You know, there’s a person who lives in the States, you could say that he’s absolutely crazy about Mars,” Putin said, referring to Musk’s ambitious goals for interplanetary travel.

“Such people rarely appear in the human population, charged with a certain idea. Even though it may seem incredible to me today, after a time such ideas are often realised,” Putin added, in remarks seen as a rare gesture of admiration for a prominent Western figure.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has long championed Mars colonization and has significantly advanced the commercial Space race. His company has become a key partner to NASA and other space agencies, developing reusable rocket technology and launching manned missions to the International Space Station.

President Vladimir Putin has praised Elon Musk earlier as well
This is not the first time Putin has praised Elon Musk; he has previously described the tech entrepreneur as “an outstanding person.” However, the latest comments come at a time of heightened geopolitical tension. Musk, once considered a close advisor to former U.S. President Donald Trump, has drawn criticism for his increasingly controversial statements on global affairs, particularly his stance on Ukraine.

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Musk has faced scrutiny over his remarks perceived as sympathetic to Moscow and for proposing peace plans critics say favor Russian interests. His role in global satellite communications through SpaceX’s Starlink network has also put him at the center of ongoing geopolitical debates.