Russia intends to get its possessions back from former Soviet republics and countries of the Russian Empire

Russia intends to exert its right to certain objects which are currently in countries of the former Soviet Union and Russian Empire.

Photo: Russia intends to get its possessions back from former Soviet republics and countries of the Russian Empire

In an interview with Interfax the director of the president’s affairs Vladimir Koshin said, “We are actively looking for possessions from not only the former USSR, but also from the Russian Empire. There will be results when we present our case for the return of the items.”

He noted that there have already been successful outcomes from such attempts to regain possessions and recalled the story of the Bulgartabak, a company which was handed over to the Soviet Union after the Second World War. “Our actions have not allowed the Bulgarian authorities to privatize Bulgartabak without considering the interests of the Russian Federation,” Koshin explained.

He classed the Ukraine as “one of the most complicated problems, which are preventing Russia to adopt a definitive position towards her possessions.” The Ukraine is one of the former Soviet Republics that does not agree with Russia’s view. “The position of our Ukrainian friends is ill-conceived, unhelpful and inconsistent. She is damaging relations between the two countries and causing economic losses to the Russian Federation.”

Nevertheless in his words, the administration of the president’s affairs has in collaboration with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs been working on finding out in which countries there is Russian property. “We now know for certain which buildings, which streets and which item belongs to us and which to others.”

He also remarked that the amount of money spent on getting the possessions back is increasing year upon year. “We have so far invested tens of millions of dollars in the search for the possessions.”

In response to the question of the acquisition of the dachas which lie in the territories of former Soviet republics, Koshin said that there were a lot of objects in the Commonwealth of Independent States. “Some countries are actually planning to return them, amongst them Belarus and Kyrgyzstan. We are engaging in talks with the countries and as yet there are no fixed plans. We shall work on the relations that we already have, for example with Sochi.”

Vzglyad

Translated by Michael Simpson