Elon Musk's family foundation took British far-right activist Tommy Robinson to Russia last month, according to Elon Musk's father, Errol Musk. The elder Musk told the Guardian that he accompanied Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, on the trip, which included meetings with Russian business figures. The journey was covered by the Musk Foundation, a private philanthropic organization founded by Elon Musk and his brother Kimbal Musk.
Robinson's Moscow Visit and Anti-Migration Calls
Robinson appeared in Moscow in February, issuing calls for supporters to take to the streets after a knife attack in Belfast. He shared video of himself in a luxury Moscow hotel with Errol Musk. The visit occurred as Vladimir Putin's regime has been forging links with European far-right figures. Russia also hosted Andrew Tate, the self-styled misogynistic influencer, and his brother, who posted footage of themselves with the Russian military.
British police later stopped and seized Robinson's phones upon his return from Russia. While Robinson had visited Russia before, this time he was more explicit in his praise, sharing footage of Russian ultra-nationalists rallying in memory of murdered British teenager Henry Nowak.
Errol Musk's Praise for Robinson and Pro-Russian Views
Errol Musk called Robinson "a fine young man," adding, "He's very hotheaded, but at the same time, he's learning." Musk senior, a Russophile who believes Russia has a "genetic advantage" over the west, holds firmly pro-Russian positions on the Ukraine conflict. He has traveled to Russia before and once met Putin. Topics covered in meetings with Robinson included Russia's attempts to address a decline in births. "Tommy really got into these meetings," Errol Musk said.
Musk senior said he became familiar with Robinson after the far-right activist was imprisoned for breaching a contempt of court order. "So I contacted Tommy," he added. Last month, Robinson told the Guardian he had come to see the "beauty of a civilised society" after visiting Russia.
Expert Analysis on Russian Hybrid War
Prof Stephan Lewandowsky at the University of Bristol, who studies misinformation threats, said the visit by Robinson and Tate occurs against the backdrop of a hybrid war Putin is waging against the west. "Part of that means he will recruit anyone to undermine western democracy from within," Lewandowsky said. "There is a pragmatic reason for the Russians to be making links like this. It is to their political advantage, but there is also clearly examples of ideological alignment to the extent that we are talking about ultra-nationalist birds of a feather."
The Guardian earlier revealed that Mark Collett, founder of the far-right group Patriotic Alternative, spoke at a summit of European extreme nationalist groups convened in Russia by an oligarch linked to Putin. Patriotic Alternative attempted to exploit unrest outside asylum hotels in Britain last summer.
