State Dept To Putin: You’re Not Getting Alaska Back

The Hill reports:

The State Department brushed off reports of Russian President Vladimir Putin ordering his government to look into the nation’s former “real estate” abroad, saying Alaska would be staying in American hands.

Putin signed a new decree last week to allocate funds for the research and registration of Russian property overseas, including that in former territories of the Russian Empire and Soviet Union, Russian state media TASS reported.

“Well, I think I can speak for all of us in the U.S. government to say that certainly he’s not getting it back,” State Department principal deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said during a press briefing, prompting laughter from his audience.

Read the full article. Putin’s order doesn’t mention Alaska, but observers say the implication is there.

Asked about Putin signing an order declaring that Russian Empire sale of Alaska to US is illegitimate, State Dept. Spokesperson says;

“Certainly he’s not getting it back.”

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— Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) January 23, 2024