© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Elon Musk’s Twitter account is seen on a smartphone in entrance of the Twitter emblem on this picture illustration taken April 15, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Picture
KYIV (Reuters) – A senior Ukrainian official on Saturday expressed skepticism over the takeover of Twitter by Elon Musk, whose relationship with Kyiv has been rocky because the billionaire prompt in early October that Ukraine ought to abandon the occupied lands for peace.
Musk, a self-proclaimed “free speech absolutist”, expressed a want to shake up Twitter’s content material moderation and tweeted that the “chicken is free” after finishing the acquisition.
Ukrainian presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak tweeted on Saturday: “Has the chicken actually regained its freedom or has it simply moved to a brand new cage?”
He pointed to Musk’s “uncommon moderation” of the location. Musk tweeted on Friday that Twitter would kind a content material moderation council “with very various views.”
The Tesla boss (NASDAQ:) drew fury from Kyiv and reward from Moscow this month when he posted a Twitter ballot proposing that Ukraine cede Crimea completely to Russia, that new referendums be organized beneath the auspices of the United Nations to find out the destiny of the territory beneath Russian management, and that Ukraine accepts neutrality.
Kyiv’s response to its Twitter takeover additionally contrasts sharply with that of Moscow, the place Russian Safety Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev tweeted his congratulations to Musk on Friday.
“Good luck (Elon Musk) overcoming political bias and ideological dictatorship on Twitter. And cease this Starlink exercise in Ukraine,” Medvedev wrote, referring to the 1000’s of satellite-connected web units that Musk’s SpaceX firm operates. in Ukraine.
Starlinks are a key communication software for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, as common cellular and web connection is missing or unsecured in lots of frontline areas.
Experiences emerged in US media in mid-October that SpaceX could start demanding fee from the US authorities for Starlink companies in Ukraine, which Musk says will value the corporate $100 million by the top of 2022.
Musk responded to the studies by saying SpaceX had withdrawn the request.