Moscow Times: "After Crimea, Russians Say They Want Alaska Back"
From the Moscow Times:
A mere four kilometers separate Russia's Big Diomede Island from Alaska's Little Diomede Island in the Bering Strait.
This boundary between two feuding powers — known as the "Ice Curtain"
during the Cold War — is likely the only place from which former Alaska
Governor Sarah Palin could really see Russia.
But after Russia's annexation of Crimea, which the Kremlin said
corrected a "historical mistake," some in Russia would like to see
the divide with Alaska eliminated by having Russia stake a new claim
on the territory, which Tsar Alexander II sold to the U.S. for $7.2
million in 1867.
Amid growing anti-Americanism in Russia following the imposition
of U.S. sanctions, Russian officials and pro-Kremlin journalists
and bloggers have fueled talk — generally facetious — of an ambition
to retake Alaska.
In an appearance on a BBC talk show last month, Vladimir Chizhov,
Russia's permanent representative to the European Union, made perhaps
the most direct hint at this goal of any official, suggesting that U.S.
Senator John McCain should "watch over Alaska."
Comic takes on Alaska's Russian past have also emerged on Russian social
media. Humor websites published a photoshopped picture of penguins
from the pro-Kremlin United Russia party holding signs saying, "Crimea
is ours," "Alaska is next!" and "Only Putin!" The picture conveniently
ignores the fact that there are not actually any penguins in Alaska....MORE
HT to and picture from
The Telegraph
