Putin ally calls for Alaska's return to Russia

Russian TV host Vladimir Solovyov, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, recently called for Alaska's return to Russia during a recent Russian-state media program, according to Newsweek.
Newsweek recallas, Alaska once belonged to Russia. In 1867, it was sold to the United States after then-President Andrew Johnson signed the Alaska Treaty. It gained the status of a state on January 3, 1959. Alaska and Russia are positioned about 53 miles apart at their closest point.
Tensions around Russia and Alaska intensified in January 2024 when reports surfaced that Putin was looking into reobtaining Alaska, reviving an effort pushed by Russian media throughout the ongoing war in Ukraine that Moscow could seize the state.
During the recent program, Solovyov said Finland, Warsaw, the Baltics, Moldova, and Alaska should be "returned to the Russian Empire."
"Do you think I'm joking when I mention Finland, Warsaw, the Baltics, Moldova? Everything returned to the Russian Empire. And Alaska too, while you're at it," Solovyov said. in a translated video.
"According to propagandist Solovyov, Finland, Warsaw, the Baltics, Moldova, and even Alaska shouldbe 'returned to the Russian Empire.' They won't stop at Ukraine. The Russian imperialists are insatiable," Anton Gerashchenko, a former adviser to the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs, wrote on X.
The narrowest distance between mainland Russia and mainland Alaska is approximately 55 miles.

However, in the body of water between Alaska and Russia, known as the Bering Strait, there lies two small islands known as Big Diomede and Little Diomede.

Interestingly enough, Big Diomede is owned by Russia while Little Diomede is owned by the US.

The stretch of water between these two islands is only about 2.5 miles wide and actually freezes over during the winter so you could technically walk from the US to Russia on this seasonal sea ice.
Keir Giles, a senior consulting fellow at Chatham House, previously told Newsweek: "Continued Russian approaches toward U.S. airspace are a reminder that while the bulk of Russia's land forces are tied down in Ukraine, its air and naval forces continue to pose a global threat to its adversaries including the United States.
"It's another indicator that Russia is readying itself for confrontation with the West beyond Ukraine, and any break in the fighting there - for instance through a ceasefire - will allow Russia to reconstitute its forces even faster without Ukraine destroying them almost as fast as they are rebuilt."
Although it remains unclear if Russia will make moves against Alaska. As the Russia-Ukraine war continues, tensions between Moscow and NATO are likely to increase, especially if the alliance's European members bear more of the brunt of support for Ukraine.