Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov claimed on Telegram on Saturday, “We received a Tesla cybertruck from the respected Elon Musk.”

Kadyrov’s claim that he received a Cyberbeast from Elon Musk or Tesla was not independently confirmed. Given that the US State Department has sanctioned Kadyrov over numerous human rights violations, the warlord more than likely bought the vehicle off the black market or through a third party.

Video uploaded on Telegram shows the warlord parading the Cyberbeast with a heavy machine gun mounted in the rear bed around Chechnya, a republic within the Russian Federation.

Kadyrov said, “I express my sincere gratitude to Elon Musk! This is, of course, the strongest genius of our time and a specialist. Great man! Well, the cybertruck turned out to be a powerful project. Undoubtedly one of the best cars in the world! I literally fell in love with this car.” 

The Head of the Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov posted a video to his Telegram of him driving around a Cybertruck with a machine gun mounted in the bed… pic.twitter.com/oY27NTEbP2

— Nic Cruz Patane (@niccruzpatane) August 17, 2024

“Based on such excellent characteristics, the cybertruck will soon be sent to the North-East Military District zone, where it will be in demand under appropriate conditions. I am sure this “beast” will bring a lot of benefits to our soldiers,” he said.

If the translation is accurate, the Cybertruck could soon be battle-tested on the modern battlefield in Eastern Europe. However, the stainless steel exoskeleton, which can withstand impact from a 9 mm handgun, would need to be upgraded with heavy armor to withstand rifle rounds and IEDs. 

On Friday, we were the first to reveal Archimedes Defense and Unplugged Performance’s UP.FIT’s new bolt-on ‘ultimate defense upgrade‘ for the Tesla Cybetruck to protect against “14.5mm heavy machine gun rounds” and “IED/mine protection” for military and defense operations. 

Introducing STING: Protect & Defend With @UpfitTesla & @archimedesdef

✅ Go Anywhere: UP INVINCIBLE Tesla Cybertruck With Bolt-On, Bolt-Off Armor

✅ Connect Anywhere: With Equipped Starlink

✅ Recharge Anywhere: Using Electricity, JP-8 Jet Fuel, Diesel, or Biodiesel

✅… pic.twitter.com/lUGtlHYm7D

— UNPLUGGED PERFORMANCE (@UnpluggedTesla) August 16, 2024

Without additional steel and ceramic armor plating to stop heavy machine gun rounds and a ‘V-hull’ to protect the battery pack, plus a turbine generator in the rear to provide constant charging, Kadyrov’s claim the Cybertruck will be sent to the battlefield is just a stunt. After all, a Ukranian kamikaze drone would easily penetrate the glass roof.