The famous actor Steven Seagal is in the news. - Anti-Ukraine rhetoric in the speech
Seagal, aged 72, recently received the "Order of Friendship" from Putin, 71, during a ceremony where Putin pinned the award onto Seagal's back. Seagal took this moment to criticize Ukraine's conditions prior to what he refers to as the "special operation", a term frequently used by Russian state propaganda.
He also pointed fingers at the West for aspiring to initiate a Third World War and lashed out at the "ravenous beasts of the media". Seagal shared this speech he'd recorded on his smartphone, spreading it through X. Some individuals joked that this was the first award he'd received since the Raspberry Award.
In February 2023, Putin revealed that Seagal earned the Russian Friendship Order for his "sufficiently significant contribution to the development of international cultural and humanitarian cooperation", as stated in their justification.
Seagal's Relationship with Putin
Seagal was granted Russian citizenship by Putin back in 2016. Previously, he had won Putin's affections as a spokesperson for the Russian arms industry. In 2018, Seagal was appointed as a special representative of the Foreign Ministry by Putin. At Putin's most recent inauguration for his fifth term, Seagal was among the esteemed attendees.
Seagal proudly claims to be "100% pro-Russian". His grandparents on his dad's side are from Vladivostok and St. Petersburg, according to his own admission.
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Seagal's criticism of Ukraine in his speech was met with mockery, as some compared his receiving the "Order of Friendship" from Putin to winning a Golden Raspberry Award. Despite this, Putin praised Seagal for his contribution to international cultural and humanitarian cooperation, citing his Russian heritage as a reason for granting him citizenship. At the Kremlin, Seagal has acted as a spokesperson and representative for Russian interests, further solidifying his relationship with Putin.
