"US State Department Rejects Putin's Claim on Alaska, Warns of Conflict"

The State Department dismissed Russian President Vladimir Putin's decree to research and register Russian property overseas, including former territories, by asserting that Alaska will remain in American hands. The decree did not specifically mention Alaska, but military bloggers speculated that it could be used to challenge the 1867 sale of the state to the U.S. The Institute for the Study of War highlighted the potential use of the decree for soft power mechanisms. Putin previously downplayed the sale of Alaska, while Russian lawmakers have hinted at reclaiming previous territories. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev jokingly responded to the State Department's statement.