Tensions between the United States and Russia are heating up, and Alaska is the focus of discussion.

(Reuters file photo)

Several Russian officials say they want to get Alaska back

[Financial Channel/Comprehensive Report] After Russia invaded Ukraine, it was sanctioned by Western countries one after another. As the war continued, the tension between Moscow and Washington continued to heat up. Alaska has also become a topic of discussion again, including many Russian officials. Let me tell you, I want to go back to Alaska, which originally belonged to the Russian Empire.

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According to the Library of Congress, the United States bought Alaska from Russia for only US$7.2 million in 1867. The land area of ​​Alaska is about 1.481 million square kilometers, which is equivalent to US$4.86 per square kilometer. After the transaction is completed, Alaska will become the largest administrative region in the United States.

At the time, Alaska was viewed as a vast, remote wilderness with little economic or strategic value, but over the years, Alaska has gradually become a major part of the American landscape, providing valuable resources and a strategic defensive location.

From left to right are Alaska Governor Dunleavy, Russian Member of Parliament Matvichev and Speaker of the Lower House of the Russian Parliament Volodin.

(AP, Reuters, synthesized by this newspaper)

Russia's overseas assets were frozen, brains moved to Alaska

After Moscow invaded Ukraine, Western countries imposed sanctions on Russia one after another. The speaker of the lower house of the Russian parliament, Vyacheslav Volodin, once said that Washington should remember that "Alaska is a part of Russia" when freezing Russian assets.

Volodin pointed out that when they try to move Russian assets abroad, they should realize that Moscow also has something to take back.

This is not the first time that Russia has said that it will take Alaska back. Congressman Oleg Matveychev was interviewed by a Russian TV station after the outbreak of the war. At that time, the introduction of international sanctions was bullying against Russia. The United States should take the lead. Compensation for Russia's losses", including Alaska should be returned to Russia.

In the face of Moscow's constant clamor, Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy tweeted back, "We will wait and see" for those Russian politicians who firmly believe that they can take back Alaska, and said that there are hundreds of thousands of people and armed soldiers in Alaska, believe them Will not agree to this.

Alaska is rich in natural resources, including oil, natural gas, and timber.

(Reuters file photo)

Alaska was a heavy financial burden on Russia in the 19th century

In the late 1700s, Russia established a stronghold in Alaska and established several trading posts along the coast.

By the mid-1800s, the Russian territory was facing serious financial difficulties. The fur trade, once the mainstay of the economy, began to decline, and the cost of maintaining the territory became increasingly heavy.

Meanwhile, the United States was expanding rapidly, pushing westward and seeking new territories.

As early as 1820, American businessmen and explorers had contacted Russia on the Alaska issue to discuss the possibility of the United States purchasing this territory. It was not until the mid-1860s that formal negotiations began.

The then U.S. Secretary of State Seward (William Seward) reached an agreement with Russia in 1867 and signed a treaty to buy Alaska on March 30 of the same year.

The acquisition was controversial at the time, with many Americans questioning whether it was wise to spend so much money on this barren and worthless land, and those concerns were later successfully proved to be unnecessary.

U.S. President Joe Biden approved a controversial oil-drilling plan on Alaska's North Slope in March.

(Midland file photo)

There are rich mineral deposits in the local area, and Russia is very sad

A few years after the United States bought Alaska, gold was discovered there. The gold rush from 1896 to 1899 brought a large number of people to Alaska and revitalized the local economy.

In addition to its rich mineral resources, Alaska has also proven to be of strategic importance to the United States.

During World War II, Alaska was an important location for the defense of the Pacific Northwest. The territory was close to Russia, and it became an important place for intelligence gathering and military operations during the Cold War.

The geographical location of Alaska also makes it an important gateway to Asia. The Port of Anchorage is an important transportation hub for goods and people between the United States and Asia.

Alaska is also an important part of the United States economically and strategically today. Alaska is rich in natural resources, including oil, natural gas, and timber.

The Russia-Ukraine war in the past year has also drawn global attention to energy supply issues, and has impacted the energy transition that countries have actively promoted in recent years. U.S. President Joe Biden, who has prioritized addressing climate change, also broke his campaign promise to This (March) approved the controversial North Slope area of ​​Alaska (North Slope) oil drilling plan.

Allows U.S. energy giant ConocoPhillips to drill for oil at three sites in the federally-managed National Petroleum Reserve on Alaska's North Slope.

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