Tesla Cybertruck with machine gun mount praised by Chechen president – report

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has been filmed driving a Tesla Cybertruck, with what appears to be a 12.7mm heavy machine gun mounted above the cabin.

As reported by news outlet AP, the president of Chechnya – a republic within the Russian Federation – released a video on social media driving the electric pick-up, praising the Cybertruck and Tesla CEO, Elon Musk.

"I express my sincere gratitude to Elon Musk," Kadyrov wrote in a post accompanying the video, suggesting the vehicle was a gift from Musk.

"This is, of course, the strongest genius of our time and a specialist. A great man."

However, Musk took to his own social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to deny supplying the Cybertruck to Kadyrov – a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and a colonel general in the Russian army.

MORE: China’s military-style electric off-roader comes with guns in the doors

"Are you seriously so retarded that you think I donated a Cybertruck to a Russian general?" Musk wrote on X, adding "That’s amazing" with crying-laughing emojis.

The United States has placed sanctions on Kadyrov for numerous alleged human rights abuses – meaning Musk could face prison time if he was found to have supplied the US-built pick-up to the Chechen leader.

In the video, Kadyrov said the Cybertruck would be donated to frontline Russian troops in Ukraine.

"And, of course, we’re waiting for [Musk's] new developments that will help us finish our special military operation [in Ukraine]," he said.

Musk claimed the Cybertruck was bulletproof when it was launched, however Tesla says the vehicle can only withstand subsonic bullets – less common rounds which move at a much lower velocity than normal ammunition.