Elon Musk challenges Vladimir Putin to "single combat" over Ukraine

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Tesla founder Elon Musk has fighting words for Russian President Vladimir Putin. (Elon Musk Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for TIME) (Vladimir Putin photo by Massimo Di Vita/Archivio Massimo Di Vita/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images)

NEW YORK - Tesla founder Elon Musk, 50, has fighting words for Russian President Vladimir Putin, 69. The world's wealthiest man challenged Putin to "single combat" due to his nation's invasion of Ukraine.

"I hereby challenge Vladimir Putin to single combat. Stakes are Ukraine," wrote Musk on Twitter.

Single combat refers to a one-to-one fight. "Vladimir Putin" and "Ukraine" were written in Cyrillic.

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In a later tweet, Musk wrote: "Do you agree to this fight?" with the tag
@KremlinRussia_E, Putin's Twitter handle.

Putin is a former KGB agent.

Musk took a stand against Russia after it began its invasion three weeks ago.

Last month, he activated his Starlink satellite internet service for Ukraine. Internet service was disrupted in several cities throughout Ukraine amid Russian attacks, including Kyiv, Mariupol, and Kharkiv, and Kherson, according to internet monitor NetBlocks.

However, Musk has refused to use the satellite system to block Russian state media outlets.

"Starlink has been told by some governments (not Ukraine) to block Russian news sources. We will not do so unless at gunpoint. Sorry to be a free speech absolutist," Musk wrote on Twitter.

The entrepreneur has also used social media to troll the Russian space agency Roscosmos after its director threatened to refuse the sale of Russian rockets to the U.S. in retaliation for its implementation of sanctions. The Russian said the U.S. could use "broomsticks" to get into space.

Musk did so as Starlink launched 48 satellites into orbit.

"American Broomstick," he wrote in the caption to video of the launch.