Page 13 - IAV Digital Magazine #543

Lawmakers Reject Russian Official's Request To Return Alaska: 'Never, Ever, Ever' - Can We Just Give Him Sarah Palin And Call It Even?
iAV - Antelope Valley Digital Magazine
Marina Pitofsky, USA TODAY
Russian parlia- ment member Oleg Matveychev on a TV program addressed waves of sanctions
against Russia in response to the country’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, saying leaders should “think about repa- rations.”
“The harm these sanctions caused us cost money. Return of posses- sions, including possessions of the Russian Empire, Soviet Union and even
parts of Russia that are now occupied by the United States,” Matveychev said on
Sunday, accord- ing to the Anchorage Daily News.
The host of the show asked Matveychev about the return of Alaska and Fort Ross, which was established by Russians in California, accordi ng to the California Department of Parks and Recreation.
“This is my next point – recogniz- ing Alaska, Fort Ross and Antarctica,” Matveychev responded, according to the Anchorage Daily News. “We actu- ally discovered it, so it rightfully belongs to us.”
The United States reached an agreement to purchase Alaska from Russia
for $7.2 million in 1867. Alaska was admitted as a state in 1959.
Republican Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski balked
at the statement, tweeting cover- age of the com- ments and a gif of Taylor Swift with the caption “That will never, ever, ever happen!”
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy also responded to the comments, tweet- ing “Good luck with that!”
“Not if we have something to say about it. We have hundreds of thou- sands of armed Alaskans and mil- itary members that will see it dif- ferently,” he added.
iAV - Antelope Valley Digital Magazine