Putin Allocates Funds to Search for Russian Lands Previously Sold, Including Alaska
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Putin signed a decree to allocate funds to search for "real estate" Russia previously owned, including possibly Alaska. A Russian nationalist blogger suggested starting with Alaska and other territories.
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The U.S. State Department brushed off the decree, stating "certainly he is not getting it back." Former Russian President Medvedev seemed to mock that comment.
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Alaska was sold by Russia to the U.S. in 1867 for $7.2 million. Putin has previously called it an "inexpensive" sale.
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In December, a Russian politician reacted to Venezuela's actions over a disputed region by saying the U.S. should also think about Alaska.
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The 1867 Alaska purchase helped the U.S. expand trade and access to the Pacific, marking an important step in its rise as an Asia-Pacific power.