It seems as though Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy was laughing at the claims made by Putin supporters that Russia might recapture the state. On 7 July, Republican Dunleavy responded to remarks made by Russian lawmakers on Twitter by saying, “To Russian politicians who think they can take Alaska back: good luck.”
In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Alaska belonged to the Russian Empire, but the United States bought it in 1867 for $7.2 million.
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Vladimir Putin Supporter Vyacheslav Volodin’s Statements About Alaska
The Russian State Duma head and close Putin loyalist, Vyacheslav Volodin, made some interesting statements, which the governor shared in an article from The Washington Examiner. Volodin’s remarks during a parliamentary session on 6 July were: “Let America always remember, there is a part of Russian territory: Alaska. So, when U.S. lawmakers attempt to appropriate our assets abroad, they should be aware that we also have something to claim back.”
In the midst of Russia’s escalating invasion of Ukraine, the United States and its allies have slapped heavy sanctions on Putin’s regime. $30 billion in Russian billionaires’ assets have been frozen, and $300 billion in Russian central bank funds have been seized, according to the Department of Justice.
The deputy speaker of Russia’s lower house of parliament, the State Duma, Pyotr Tolstoy, has also recommended conducting an Alaskan referendum on whether or not the state should rejoin Russia.
Alaska Was A Russian Colony In The 18th and 19th Centuries, But U.S. Bought It In 1867
A return to Moscow-style rule seems unlikely in light of Governor Dunleavy’s stance on Russian rhetoric.
Alaska was a part of Russia in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, but the U.S. bought the state in 1867 for $7.2 million. Despite Russia’s recent statements, the ownership of Alaska has never been officially challenged by the Russian government since the sale.
Comments on retaking the state since the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the strong U.S. opposition to Putin’s government have become more common. Billboards reading “Alaska is Ours!” have appeared in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk since Volodin made his statement on Wednesday. A Krasnoyarsk-based firm called Alaska that makes trailers erected them.
The Russian Duma member Oleg Matveychev said on state television in March that the United States should consider paying reparations to Russia for lost territories, including Alaska and a former Russian settlement in California.
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