Chechen leader claims Musk remotely disabled his armed Cybertruck
Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has accused Tesla CEO Elon Musk of remotely disabling his Cybertruck, which was deployed at the Ukraine frontline. The vehicle was reportedly equipped with a machine gun and used in combat operations. Kadyrov, known for his loyalty to Russian President Vladimir Putin and active participation in Russia's military actions in Ukraine, made these claims recently.
Kadyrov's claims and Musk's denial
In August, Kadyrov shared a video of himself driving a Cybertruck through Grozny, Chechnya's capital. He thanked Musk for the vehicle in the video, stating it would soon be deployed to the front. However, Musk denied sending the vehicle and expressed disbelief at the suggestion that he would donate a Cybertruck to a Russian general. Now, Kadyrov insists that his high-tech vehicle had been remotely disabled by Tesla after being given as a gift.
Additional Cybertrucks sent to war zone
Kadyrov also stated that he has dispatched two more Cybertrucks to the SVO (Ukraine war) zone. He shared a video of these Tesla trucks in a wooded area, each fitted with mounted machine guns. The footage shows men in military uniforms firing from atop the vehicles. Kadyrov confirmed on Telegram that "the remote shutdown did not affect these vehicles. They are operating normally, without any failures."
Experts question vehicle's battlefield suitability
Despite Kadyrov's claims, military experts have raised doubts about the Cybertruck's suitability for actual combat. Though it may handle rugged terrain, it's probably ineffective in real battlefield conditions. Mark Cancian, a senior adviser on the International Security Programme at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies and a retired US Marine Corps Colonel, highlighted that there are no Tesla outlets on the front lines in Donbas. This raises questions about where these electric vehicles could be recharged during battle operations.
