Since first learning of the story at EmptyWheel, here is the link. The item has five collaborating authors, so figure that the WSJ editors regard it as major news.
Also, search = elon musk vladimir putin = That will show the story is covered widely.
EW links to a WSJ post, which MSN carries here, (without a subscription wall). EW also suggests a context from which the story might be understood, perhaps, perhaps not, it is a guess.
Search return examples:
https://www.reuters.com/world/putin-hails-elon-musk-an-outstanding-person-businessman-2023-09-12/
Here, Crabgrass will follow what EmptyWheel did - focus on the WSJ/MSM item. It starts:
Elon Musk, the world’s richest man and a linchpin of U.S. space efforts, has been in regular contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin since late 2022.
The discussions, confirmed by several current and former U.S., European and Russian officials, touch on personal topics, business and geopolitical tensions.
At one point, Putin asked the billionaire to avoid activating his Starlink satellite internet service over Taiwan as a favor to Chinese leader Xi Jinping, said two people briefed on the request.
Musk has emerged this year as a crucial supporter of Donald Trump’s election campaign, and could find a role in a Trump administration should he win. While the U.S. and its allies have isolated Putin in recent years, Musk’s dialogue could signal re-engagement with the Russian leader, and reinforce Trump’s expressed desire to cut a deal over major fault lines such as the war in Ukraine.
[...] Musk has forged deep business ties with U.S. military and intelligence agencies, giving him unique visibility into some of America’s most sensitive space programs. SpaceX, which operates the Starlink service, won a $1.8 billion classified contract in 2021 and is the primary rocket launcher for the Pentagon and NASA. Musk has a security clearance that allows him access to certain classified information.
[...]
Musk didn’t respond to requests for comment. The billionaire has called criticism from some quarters that he has become an apologist for Putin “absurd” and has said his companies “have done more to undermine Russia than anything.”
During his campaign swing through Pennsylvania last week, Musk talked about the importance of government transparency and noted his own access to government secrets. “I do have a top-secret clearance, but, I’d have to say, like most of the stuff that I’m aware of…the reason they keep it top secret is because it’s so boring.”
A Pentagon spokesman said: “We do not comment on any individual’s security clearance, review or status, or about personnel security policy matters in the context of reports about any individual’s actions.”
EmptyWheel quotes elsewhere in the item, but readers should also access the original, and other outlets' coverage, so quoting is ended here. EW likely will build up commentary, and regular commenters there often find and post links and information not more easily found.
Besides Trump-Russia history, EW suggests JD Vance needs attention, with his being the Silicon Valley sweetheart and with Musk a mover/shaker there.
That older item will not touch the October Surprise, but should suggest that Vance has to come forward and explain of any three-corner Putin stuff. That will be fraught with danger, since after the Haitians/pets bullshit the man's word cannot be trusted.
How all that shakes out with voters has mere days to unfold. Crabgrass and close family/friends have already voted, Harris, on grounds besides Elon and Vlad.
ELON HAS TO COME CLEAN ABOUT WHAT HE'S UP TO, WITH HIS PUTTING TONS OF MONEY BEHIND A FLOUNDERING FASCIST NEBBISH, TRUMP.