Paul Goble
Staunton, April 19 – A Georgian company in cooperation with Ukraine’s Digital Information Ministry is selling off all Russian territory virtually via the use of non-fungible tokens (NFTs), a digital collectible based on blockchain technology, to troll Putin and provide funds for Ukraine.
To start, the firm is auctioning off 2443 regions and cities of Russia in Ethereum cryptocurrency. So far, it has sold 23 regions for a total price of 18,704 US dollars. Those who want to make such a purchase can do so by selecting a place on the interactive map the company has posted online at russiaforsale.org/.
Later, the company says, it will put up for virtual sale major pieces of Russian architecture such as the Kremlin and Putin’s various palaces; and after that, it has plans to offer for sale the mummy of Lenin (rferl.org/a/georgia-nft-sales-russia-ukaine-fundraiser/31814302.html), again with all proceeds going to help Ukraine.
According to the company’s website, this represents “an answer to Russian imperialist aggression … Putin is known for grabbing other country’s territory. So, let’s give him a taste of his own medicine.” And all indications are that this project and others like it are in fact helping Ukraine.
Crypto-asset tracker Elliptic says that since Putin launched his expanded invasion of Ukraine on February 24, “tens of millions of dollars’ worth of cryptocurrency donations” have flowed into Ukrainian coffers (elliptic.co/blog/live-updates-millions-in-crypto-crowdfunded-for-the-ukrainian-military).
For many, such crypto-currency sales are an exotic unknown. But as RFE/RL explains in reporting this one, “NFTs are essentially proof of ownership of virtual assets, and their sales have skyrocketed in recent years, including $69 million for a 13-year-long digital collage by American artist and graphic designer Mike Winkelmann, better known as Beeple.”
The Georgian firm says it has Russian lands available for purchase in all shapes and sizes to fit any interest or pocketbook.
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