Key points
- Korolev is considered the father of the Soviet space programme
- Musk heads SpaceX — a company that launches rockets for NASA
- Musk has been a frequent critic of Ukraine
ISLAMABAD: Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Elon Musk on Wednesday, telling university students he was a pioneer comparable to legendary Soviet rocket engineer Sergei Korolev.
According to AFP, the comments came as Russia and the United States forged closer ties under President Donald Trump’s administration, of which billionaire SpaceX founder Musk is a key figure.
“You know, there’s a man — he lives in the States — Musk, who, you could say, raves about Mars,” Putin told students on a visit to Bauman University, a Moscow college that specialises in science and engineering.
“Don’t often appear”
“These are the kind of people who don’t often appear in the human population, charged-up with a certain idea.”
“If it seems incredible even today, such ideas often come to fruition after a while. Just like the ideas of Korolev, our pioneers, came about in due time,” Putin added.
You know, there’s a man — he lives in the States — Musk, who, you could say, raves about Mars. These are the kind of people who don’t often appear in the human population, charged-up with a certain idea.” – Russian President Vladimir Putin
Father of Soviet space programme
Korolev is considered the father of the Soviet space programme, developing the first satellite Sputnik as well as Vostok 1, which carried first cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin into orbit in 1961.
Musk, the world’s richest man and Trump’s most powerful adviser, is the head of SpaceX — a US company that launches rockets for NASA and owns the Starlink satellite internet network.
Musk has been a frequent critic of Ukraine, which is currently battling a three-year Russian offensive.
The billionaire accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last month of wanting a “forever war”, and in February said Kyiv had gone “too far” in the conflict, according to AFP.
“Outstanding person”
Russian President Putin has previously hailed the South African-born businessman Elon Musk as an “outstanding person” and businessman whose SpaceX company had become a major player in the space transportation industry, according to Reuters.
The US-based entrepreneur has previously said he refused a Ukrainian request to activate his Starlink satellite network in Crimea’s port city of Sevastopol to aid an attack on Russia’s fleet there, saying he feared complicity in a “major” act of war, according to Reuters.
