Putin has signed an order to give the American actor citizenship…
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed an executive order giving actor Steven Seagal Russian citizenship, the Kremlin announced on Thursday.
Apparently the pair have become good friends over the past number of years, bonding over their love of martial arts.
Seagal has visited Russia frequently and has been open in his support of President Putin, vocally defending Russia’s policies and criticising the US.
In the past, he went as far as saying that Putin could be “the greatest world leader alive today”.
Having struck up a stirring bromance, Putin today decided to make it official and granted the 64-year-old actor Russian citizenship, a move which could include an $80-per-month pension should he want to claim it when he turns 65.
But what exactly qualified him for his citizenship? It seems not a whole lot other than a personal desire.
“It was his wish, he really was asking for citizenship persistently and for quite a long time,” said Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov. “He is known for his warm feelings to our country, which he has never hidden.”
Seagal isn’t the first westerner to granted citizenship, with actor Gérard Depardieu and boxer Roy Jones Jr previously made Russian by Putin.
Here’s some footage of Seagal in action…
Video via Subliem18
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