Putin instructs world officials to search for Russia's and USSR assets
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin (Getty Images)
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has decided to embark on a hunt for Russian assets that once belonged to the Russian Empire or the USSR, according to Bloomberg.
Late Thursday evening, Putin issued an order allocating funding to a unit tasked with searching for real estate abroad and ensuring the registration of Russia's property rights.
The document does not specify the budget size or the specific properties being sought.
"While it’s unclear what prompted the order, Putin’s interest in former imperial possessions is unlikely to ease concerns about his ambitions among neighboring states after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine upended European security," Bloomberg notes.
Countries that used to be part of the Soviet Union and the Russian Empire's sphere of influence
At its peak, the Russian Empire extended into the territories of modern-day Poland and the Baltic countries, as well as Finland. It collapsed in the early 20th century.
The Soviet Union, formed in 1922, occupied most of the former empire's territory, excluding Poland and Finland, until its dissolution in 1991.
Putin and Russian officials threaten other countries
In early December, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin began threatening Latvia, supposedly due to the "oppression of the Russian-speaking population."
Later, Putin issued threats against Finland over the country's NATO membership, claiming that Russia would deploy troops to the Finnish border.
In late December, Russia's permanent representative to international organizations in Vienna, Mykhailo Ulianov, stated that in the event of a confrontation with NATO, Finland could be the first to suffer.
