Russian GOODWILL? President Putin gifts a Soviet-era Ural motor bike to an Alaskan man at Anchorage summit

An Alaskan man recieved an unexpected gift from the Russian President Vladimir Putin during the Alaska Summit in Anchorage. The man identified by the state broadcaster Rossia 1 as Mark Warren, had been featured in a news segment claiming about the impacts of Russian invasion of Ukraine on common American. Mark Warren who owns a Soviet era Ural was complaining about the increased maintenance cost of the motorbike.

“This is a personal gift from the Russian president,” said Andrei Ledenev, a counselor at the Russian Embassy in Washington, as he handed over the keys to the bike to Warren in the parking lot of the hotel where the Russian delegation was staying.

"I'm speechless, it's amazing. Thank you very much." said Warren. Warren also expressed that if Trump and Putin could put an end to Russia and Ukraine conflict.

Russian broadcaster Rossia 1 encountered Warren while in Alaska for the summit. The reporter reportedly stopped to admire Warren's bike which is made in Soviet Russia in 1941. Warren told reporter, Valentin Bogdanov, because of the US sanction on Russia, he was facing trouble to obtain spare parts for the motorcycle.

"It's night and day," Warren said. "I like my old one, but this one is much better."

“Here’s a new ride on the new Ural. A Russian vehicle in Russian America under the shadow of a Russian birch tree,” said a Rossia 1 correspondent while referring to Alaska's history as part of Russian empire.

Russian media framed the gift as a goodwill to the United States. Ural motorcycles are manufactured in Kazakhstan while its corporate headquarter is stationed in Washington. In March 2022, IMZ-Ural condemned Russian invasion of Ukraine.