Under Construction? Concerns Putin Ready to Rebuild Former Soviet Union Mount Amid Massive NATO Military Exercise

Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued an order aimed at locating and reclaiming assets that once belonged to the former Russian empire and the Soviet Union, according to sources.

The directive establishes a state unit tasked with conducting searches for overseas properties lost over the years. While the document doesn't specify the budget or the specific items targeted, concerns in the West have grown regarding Putin's alleged ambitions to reconstruct the Soviet Union, particularly after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, according to Bloomberg News.

At its height, the Russian empire extended into modern-day Poland and the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, as well as Finland.

The dissolution of the Russian Empire occurred during World War I and the 1917 Bolshevik revolution, leading to the formation of the Communist state.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has cautioned that Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Moldova could be potential targets for Russia if his country fails to resist Moscow's invasion.

In response to escalating tensions, NATO announced recently that it is deploying 90,000 troops in its largest military exercise since the Cold War.

The exercise, named 'Steadfast Defender 2024,' aims to demonstrate NATO's ability to rapidly deploy forces from North America and other alliance members to reinforce the defense of Europe.

U.S. Army General Chris Cavoli, NATO's top commander, emphasized the importance of the drill in a simulated conflict scenario with a near-peer adversary, identifying Russia as the most direct threat to NATO security, Reuters reported.

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Meanwhile, Russia remains at odds with the United States, particularly regarding nuclear arms control discussions.

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, led by Sergey Lavrov, has stated that the Kremlin has no plans to engage in nuclear talks with the U.S. due to American support for Ukraine during the ongoing conflict.