On October 3, Elon Musk posted on Twitter a poll in which he proposed to give Crimea to Russia:
"Ukraine-Russia Peace:
- Redo elections of annexed regions under UN supervision leaves if that is will of the people.
- Crimea formally part of Russia, as it has been since 1783 (until Khrushchev's mistake).
- Water supply to Crimea assured.
- Ukraine remains neutral."
In response to this, millions of Ukrainians began to express their indignation in writing, and Volodymyr Zelenskyy launched a return vote on Twitter:
"Which Elon Musk do you like more?
- One who supports Ukraine;
- One who supports Russia."
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre expressed the US position at a briefing on October 4: "It's their decision when it comes to any diplomacy or negotiations about it. And so I leave it up to the Ukrainian people. But, you know, we're going to make sure we're there for the Ukrainians as they fight for their sovereignty. And this decision regarding their sovereignty, freedom, democracy, will be taken together with them."
Techgenious is understandable. In addition, he directly declares his pro-Ukrainian position: "SpaceX's out of pocket cost to enable & support Starlink in Ukraine is $80 mln so far. Our support for Russia is $0. Obviously, we are pro-Ukraine. Trying to retake Crimea will cause massive death, probably fail and risk nuclear war. This would be terrible for Ukraine and Earth."
Lithuanian defence minister Arvydas Anušauskas believes that Musk has fallen for the artificial Russian hype about a nuclear attack.
"After putin (the original author's spelling is preserved — ed.) waved some flags about nuclear weapons, misinformation about alleged "nuclear weapon convoys" started circulating in Western media. This is not happening, but "nuclear temperature" induced by Kremlin is paying dividends of fear. Elon Musk was the first to fall for it," Arvydas Anušauskas.
President of Lithuania Gitanas Nausėda, in response to Elon Musk's decision, drew a stunning analogy with available examples: "Dear Elon Musk, when someone tries to steal the wheels of your Tesla, it doesn't make them the legal owner of the car or of the wheels. Even though they claim both voted in favour of it. Just saying."
One Ukrainian businessman supported the statement of Gitanas Nausėda, and just in the centre of Kyiv, on Sophia square, turned the tweet of the president of Lithuania into an installation: the Ukrainian parked his Tesla, removed the wheel and signed it "Crimea".
