Putin praises Musk and compares him to Soviet space hero

Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Elon Musk, telling university students he is a pioneer comparable to legendary Soviet rocket engineer Sergei Korolev. The comments come as Russia and the United States forge closer ties under President Donald Trump's administration, of which billionaire SpaceX founder Musk is a key figure.

"These are the kind of people who don't often appear in the human population, charged-up with a certain idea," Putin also told students on a visit to Bauman University, a Moscow college that specializes in science and engineering.