Posted 1/23/2024, 4:45:00 PM
Putin Explores Reclaiming Russian Assets Abroad, Prompting U.S. Rebuff Over Alaska
- Putin signed decree to allocate funds to research Russian property overseas, including former Russian Empire/Soviet territories
- Military bloggers suggested Putin declaring 1867 Alaska sale to U.S. as illegal
- State Department spokesperson said "certainly he's not getting it back" about Putin trying to reclaim Alaska
- Unclear what constitutes Russian property abroad; Kremlin may use it to forward soft power in post-Soviet states
- Former Russian President Medvedev joked about State Department's response, saying "And we’ve been waiting for it to be returned any day. Now war is unavoidable"