Putin’s Trip to the Far East Almost Reaches the West

Russian President Vladimir Putin recently made his first-ever presidential visit to the Chukotka region of Russia, which is located in Russia’s far east and shares a maritime border on the Bering Strait with the US state of Alaska.

Putin arrived in Anadyr, the capital of the Chukotka region of Russia, which is only 50 miles away from Alaska. The Kremlin said Putin would inspect a year-round greenhouse complex, talk to residents, and meet with the city’s mayor as they say they’re ‘mastering domestic goods production’. He sniffed basil and grabbed tomatoes during the greenhouse visit.

Putin’s visit was met with excitement from the residents of the Chukotka region, with around 100 residents gathering to watch and film Putin’s motorcade arrive, amid -30°C temperatures. The president drove around the region on an all-terrain vehicle called a ‘Khishchnik’ – Russian for ‘predator’ – during the trip. Putin’s visit to the Chukotka region marks the closest he has come to US soil since he met with President Barack Obama in New York City in 2015.

The trip comes as Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky landed in Lithuania, as part of an unannounced visit to the Baltic region to drum up support. Zelensky’s first official trip abroad in 2024 includes stops in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. During the visit, Zelensky plans to discuss security, EU and NATO integration, cooperation on electronic warfare and drones, and further coordination of European support.

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Dan Olczak

"Editor with expertise in politics and crime, also known for travel blogging."

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