Ukraine taunts Elon Musk after he posts meme mocking Zelensky

The Ukrainian parliament and its speaker on Monday (Oct 2) taunted billionaire Elon Musk after he posted a meme on social media apparently mocking President Volodymyr Zelensky's efforts for Western aid for its war with Russia.

Musk posted the meme in early hours of Monday (Indian time) on X (formerly Twitter), the social media platform he owns. The template of the meme has been taken from an already famous one, but a photo of anguished-looking Zelensky is superimposed on the body of the boy in the original meme. The boy carries similar expressions in the original meme.

"When its been 5 minutes and you haven't asked for a billion dollars in aid" reads the text in the image. Zelensky has not been mentioned by name in the text.

Ruslan Stefanchuk, the speaker or Ukrainian parliament, lashed out at Musk in his own post on X.

"The case when ...(Elon Musk) tried to conquer space, but something went wrong and in 5 minutes he was up to his eyeballs in s***," reads the post in an apparent reference to SpaceX's failed rocket launch in April.

Musk owns SpaceX, the Starlink satellite communication service of which is of vital importance for Ukraine military as it fights Russian forces. However, Musk and Ukrainian officials have sparred on social media in past, often after some comment from the billionaire.

In addition to Stefanchuk's post from his personal account, a rebuff has come from Ukrainian parliament's official page on X as well. The post accuseses Musk of spreading Russian propaganda.

"When it's been 5 minutes and you haven't spread Russian propaganda," reads the text.

Mykhailo Podolyak, a Ukrainian presidential adviser, shot back at Musk as well

"Unfortunately, not everyone and not always, while being significant media figures, but being thousands of kilometres away from the war's epicenter, is able to realize what the daily bombardments and cries of children losing their parents are," he posted on X.

Musk has earlier faced flak from Ukrainian officials for suggesting that Ukraine should consider giving up land to Russia for peace. Ukraine has staunchly rejected such a possibility.

Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. After initial success, it was soon clear to the Russian forces that fall of Ukraine would not be a matter of week as was anticipated earlier.

The Western countries-led by the US have poured in billions of dollars in humanitarian as well as military aid in Ukraine. The West has also sent weapons to better arm the Ukrainian forces.

(With inputs from agencies)

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