Revanchism Rampant!

From yesterday’s State Department press briefing, Vedant Patel spokesperson.

QUESTION:  Again, move to Russia if I may.  Putin apparently today signed an order declaring a 1983 sale of Alaska to the United States as “illegitimate,” quote/unquote.  Do you have a response to that?

MR PATEL:  So let me just understand, that he signed something today that said the sale of Alaska is illegitimate?

QUESTION:  Right.

MR PATEL:  Well, I think I can – I speak for all of us in the U.S. Government to say that certainly he is not getting it back.  So – (laughter).  

QUESTION:  Are you speaking for Secretary Seward as well?  (Laughter.)

Oh, that should be 1867 that Russia sold Alaska to the United States.

Update and clarification: Apparently the document Putin signed does not mention Alaska. But I can see a couple of steps and a jump to the rumor that he did.