In 2001, Musk flew to Moscow to negotiate with the Lavochkin NGO and Kosmodans to acquire the Dnepr launch vehicle. Pictured are Adeo Ressi, Elon, Victor, Slava Linkin, Utkin, Pichhadze Constantine and Jim Cantrell.
Then the Russians were greedy and refused Elon, so there was Falcon 1, so 9 and so on.