I understand why the Russians colonized(?) Places like Vladivostok but why did they Colonize places like Alaska, Kamchatka, or Siberia? There seems to be no economic value in those areas yet people live there. Is it Gulags?
This post by u/poob1x goes into some detail about Russia’s motivations for colonizing. I feel like this question gets asked a lot, if there’s a mod reading, y’all should add it to the FAQ.