Did Putin Really Call Russia's Sale of Alaska to the US "Illegal"? | Vantage with Palki Sharma

Summary

The script discusses two unfounded territorial rumors involving Russia - one claiming Putin wants Alaska back, the other that Ukraine's president issued a decree to revive the Ukrainian identity of ethnic Ukrainians living in Russia. The Alaska rumor stemmed from Putin allocating funds to protect Russian assets abroad, with some falsely claiming he wants to reclaim all past Russian Empire lands. Both the U.S. and Russia mocked this rumor. Meanwhile, Ukraine's president decreed to counter Russian 'propaganda' against ethnic Ukrainians in Russia, aiming to undermine Russia though experts see no enforcement mechanism currently. The rival claims spotlight growing divisions between Russia and Ukraine.

Takeaways

• 😲 Putin did not actually declare plans to reclaim Alaska; this was an unfounded rumor.
• 📜 Putin signed a decree to protect Russian assets abroad, which sparked false rumors about Alaska.
• ☠️ The Alaska rumors falsely claim Putin wants land Russia owned between the 1700s and 1917.
• 😅 A Russian official jokingly tweeted that war with the US over Alaska is now "unavoidable".
• 🇺🇦 Zelenskyy issued a decree addressing historic Ukrainian lands now in Russia.
• ❌ Zelenskyy does not seek to reclaim these lands from Russia.
• 🙍‍♂️ His decree aims to support ethnic Ukrainians in Russia and counter propaganda.
• 😟 He wants to revive their Ukrainian identity, concerning Russia.
• 🔪 Zelenskyy's decree drives wedges into Russia's social fabric.
• 🤝 The rift between Russians and Ukrainians continues to grow deeper.

Q & A

Why did rumors start that Putin wants Alaska back?

The rumors began because of a law Putin signed allocating funds to protect Russian property abroad. The decree mentioned property of the Russian Empire, which once included Alaska, so some assumed Putin wants to reclaim all historic Russian lands.

When did Russia sell Alaska to the United States?

Russia sold Alaska to the United States in 1867 for $7.2 million.

What is the purpose of the decree Putin signed regarding Russian property abroad?

The decree allocates funds to help find, register and provide legal protection for Russian property being held abroad, especially since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

How did the Russian government respond to the Alaska rumors?

Dmitry Medvedev, Putin's ally, tweeted laughing at the rumors of Russia trying to reclaim Alaska, calling the idea of an impending war over it ridiculous.

What decree did Ukrainian President Zelensky issue regarding Russian territories?

Zelensky issued a decree stating that lands in Russia were once inhabited by Ukrainians before Russia took them over. He wants to revive the Ukrainian identity there.

What is Zelensky's goal with his decree about historic Ukrainian lands in Russia?

Zelensky aims to cooperate with ethnic Ukrainians in Russia to counter Russian propaganda and potentially lay the groundwork for those areas to secede someday.

How did Alaska go from being part of the Russian Empire to becoming a U.S. state?

Alaska was part of the Russian Empire until 1867 when Russia sold it to the U.S. It later officially became a state in 1959.

Why would Russia have wanted to sell Alaska in the 19th century?

In the 19th century, Alaska was seen as a remote, frozen wasteland with little value. Russia likely wanted to get some money for the land rather than continue holding an asset they deemed worthless.

What is the current status of tensions between Russia and Ukraine?

Tensions remain high after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Zelensky's decree shows the rift between Russians and Ukrainians is growing and may persist for years.

How might the decree impact future relations between Russia and Ukraine?

It could drive wedges into Russia's social fabric. If ethnic Ukrainians gain separate identity, they may eventually want to secede from Russia and join Ukraine.

Outlines

00:00

😱 Rumors of Putin Wanting Alaska Back

Paragraph 1 discusses fake news and rumors circulating that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to reclaim Alaska, which was once part of the Russian Empire before being sold to the US in 1867. However, these rumors are false and unfounded.

😆 Russia and US Laugh Off Absurd Alaska Rumors

Paragraph 2 covers the mocking reaction from Russia and the US government to the silly rumors about Putin trying to take back Alaska. This includes a joking tweet from former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev.

😕 Zelenskyy's Decree on Historic Ukrainian Lands in Russia

Paragraph 3 explains Ukrainian President Zelenskyy's controversial decree stating that lands now in Russia were historically inhabited by Ukrainians. While not wanting the land back, Zelenskyy wants to revive Ukrainian identity there to counter Russia.

Keywords

💡Alaska

Alaska is a U.S. state that was once part of the Russian Empire. It was sold by Russia to the U.S. in 1867 for $7.2 million. The video discusses false rumors that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to reclaim Alaska for Russia. This references Alaska's history as a former Russian territory.

💡Russian Empire

The Russian Empire existed from 1721 to 1917. At its peak it stretched across Eurasia and included territory like Alaska. When the rumor spread about Putin wanting Alaska back, it was speculated he wanted to reclaim all past Russian Empire lands. But this is false.

💡Soviet Union

The Soviet Union was a communist state that existed from 1922 to 1991. It took over much of the territory of the former Russian Empire. When the decree mentioned former Russian lands, some thought this included Soviet lands too. But the rumors about Putin claiming back vast Soviet territories are unfounded.

💡Ukraine

Ukraine is a country that borders Russia and was part of the Soviet Union. Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimea region in 2014. The video discusses Ukraine's president claiming historically Ukrainian lands in Russia. This shows ongoing tensions between the two countries after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

💡Propaganda

Propaganda refers to misleading information used to promote a political cause or viewpoint. Ukraine's president accused Russia of using propaganda against ethnic Ukrainians living in Russia to suppress their national identity. This illustrates Ukraine's stance against alleged Russian information manipulation.

💡Crimea

Crimea is a region of Ukraine that was annexed by Russia in 2014. Russia's takeover of Crimea led to global condemnation and sanctions. It was a precursor to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which escalated tensions between the two countries.

💡Sanctions

Sanctions are economic and political penalties imposed by one country or bloc of countries on another. They are meant to punish unacceptable behavior. Sanctions were imposed on Russia by the West after its 2014 takeover of Crimea from Ukraine as punishment.

💡Secede

To secede means to withdraw from an organization, state, or alliance. The video suggests revived ethnic Ukrainian identity in Russia could eventually lead to these groups trying to secede from Russia and join Ukraine instead. This would threaten Russia's territorial integrity.

💡Annexation

Annexation refers to a country taking control and occupying territory that previously belonged to another country. Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, leading to global condemnation. The rumors of Putin wanting Alaska back also imply a kind of annexation.

💡Cold War

The Cold War was the period of geopolitical and ideological rivalry between the Western bloc led by the U.S. and the Eastern bloc led by the Soviet Union. It lasted from the end of World War II until 1991. The video notes the Alaska sale occurred before the Cold War era.

Highlights

Rumors that Putin wants Alaska back are absurd and untrue

Rumors began due to a decree Putin signed allocating funds to protect Russian assets abroad

The decree mentioned protecting assets from the Russian Empire, which lasted until 1917

Someone incorrectly thought Putin wants to reclaim all past Russian land, including Alaska

A US official jokingly said Putin won't be getting Alaska back

A former Russian leader jokingly said war with the US over Alaska is now inevitable

Ukrainian president signed a decree stating Russia committed crimes against Ukrainians in its territory

The decree aims to revive the Ukrainian identity of those groups and counter Russian propaganda

The decree likely won't have any real impact but shows the growing Russia-Ukraine rift

Unlike the Alaska rumors, this decree could drive wedges into Russia's social fabric over time

Revived ethnic identities in Russia may eventually want to secede and join Ukraine

The rift between Russians and Ukrainians continues worsening with lasting impact

The Alaska rumors were laughed off by Russia but the Ukraine decree has real intent

The wounds between Russia and Ukraine may persist for years due to ongoing tensions

Land claims, either joking or serious, inflame tensions between Russia, Ukraine and the West

Transcripts

now let's turn to Canada's western

border as Russian President Vladimir

Putin has allegedly done the rumor Mills

are a blaze Putin is apparently eyeing

his next prize this time he's supposedly

going for an old Russian

Outpost the US state of

Alaska yes the rumors are that Putin

wants Alaska back Alaska was once a part

of the Russian Empire but Moscow sold

the land back in

1867 to the still fledgling country

called the United States of America this

was before the great rivalry before the

Cold War before the modern hostilities

and before anything of value had ever

been discovered in Alaska Russia had

sold a frozen Wasteland to the US for

the then princely sum of 7.2

million but now Reports say that Putin

is unhappy and that he's declared the

sale of Alaska quote unquote

illegal but this is not true it's an

absurd rumor spread to either inight

fear or just grab eyeballs either way

there's no truth to it so why did these

rumors begin because of a law that Putin

signed a few days ago he signed a decree

on the 18th of January Putin allocated

some funds to Russia's Department of

foreign property these are to help find

register and give legal protection to

Russian property abroad it's basically

about protect ing Russian assets some of

which are being held hostage by Foreign

governments and this has been the case

since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 so

Putin's order is not really unusual the

Alaska rumors began because of the

language of this decree it mentioned

protecting Russian property including

the property of the Soviet Union and the

Russian

Empire the Soviet Union fell in December

1991 the Russian Empire lasted between

1721 and 1917 so someone thought Putin

wants to claim everything that Russia

ever owned from the 1700s till

today and that would include

Alaska this is how the rumor started and

they've even spread to the corridors of

the White

House let me just understand that he

signed something today that said that

sale of uh Alaska is uh illegitimate

well I I think I can I speak for all of

us in the in the in the US government to

say that uh certainly he is not getting

it

back as of that exchange weren't

ridiculous enough Russia reacted to it

this is a tweet by Dimitri medev Putin's

Ally and former Russian president and

prime minister he says and I'm quoting

according to a state department

representative Russia is not getting

back Alaska which was F sold to the US

in the 19th

century this is it then and we've been

waiting for it to be returned any day

now war is

unavoidable please note the laughing

emoji at the end that should mean that

World War I is not starting not over

Alaska at any rate but while the

Russians have been laughing over the

Alaska rumors another historical claim

maybe no laughing matter this is

Ukrainian president volodimir zilinski

making headlines again over a decree

about historic IAL land the decree is on

the territories of the Russian

Federation historically inhabited by

ukrainians he says these lands were once

inhabited by ukrainians but they stayed

with Russia after Ukraine became

independent Now zilinsky does not want

this land back but he says crimes were

committed against the people who lived

there he says Russia systematically

destroyed their national identity and

zilinsky wants his country to cooperate

with these ethnic ukrainians in Russia

he wants to revive their Ukrainian

identity and counter what he calls

Russian

propaganda this is not as alarming as

Putin wanting to take back

Alaska but it's a different sort of land

grab over time the revived ethnic

ukrainians may want to secede from

Russia and perhaps join Ukraine someday

of course there's no real way for

zilinsky to enforce this decree it's a

stunt to drive wedges into Russia's

social fabric but it proves that the

rift between Russians and ukrainians is

growing and the wounds May last for

years to

come