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Steven Seagal gets 'friendship' award from Vladimir Putin

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Agence France-Presse

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="In this file photo taken on March 13, 2013 Russia" s="" President="" Vladimir="" Putin="" and="" American="" action="" movie="" actor="" a="" newly-built="" sports="" complex="" of="" Sambo-70="" prominent="" wrestling="" school="" in="" Moscow.="" Russian="" has="" bestowed="" an="" award="" on="" pro-Kremlin="" US="" Steven="" Seagal="" for="" helping="" strengthen="" international="" the="" government="" said="" February="" August="" last="" visited="" eastern="" Ukrainian="" region="" Donetsk="" including="" ruins="" infamous="" Olenivka="" penal="" colony="" where="" dozens="" soldiers="" burnt="" to="" death.="" decades="" since="" height="" his="" Hollywood="" martial="" artist="" been="" vocal="" supporter="" Putin.="" Russia="" granted="" citizenship="" which="" included="" personally="" handing="" over="" passport="" televised="" meeting.="" ALEXEI="" NIKOLSKY="" SPUTNIK="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/afp/03/01/20230301-putin-steven-seagal-afp.jpg"/><figcaption>In this file photo taken on March 13, 2013 Russia&#x27;s President Vladimir Putin and American action movie actor visit a newly-built sports complex of Sambo-70 prominent wrestling school in Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin has bestowed an award on pro-Kremlin US actor Steven Seagal for helping strengthen international cooperation, the government said on February 27, 2023. In August last year, Seagal visited the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk including the ruins of the infamous Olenivka penal colony where dozens of Ukrainian soldiers burnt to death. In the decades since the height of his Hollywood fame, the 70-year-old actor and martial artist has been a vocal supporter of Putin. Russia granted the actor citizenship in 2016, which included Putin personally handing over a passport to Seagal in a televised meeting. ALEXEI NIKOLSKY / SPUTNIK / AFP</figcaption></figure></div>MOSCOW - Russian President Vladimir Putin has bestowed a prestigious award on US actor Steven Seagal for his work on strengthening international &quot;cooperation,&quot; according to an official decree released Monday.In the decades since the height of his Hollywood fame, Seagal has been an outspoken supporter of Putin, who granted the 70-year-old film star citizenship several years ago.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/05/31/21/hollywood-actor-seagal-joins-pro-kremlin-party-proposes-tougher-laws">Hollywood actor Seagal joins pro-Kremlin party, proposes tougher laws</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/08/05/18/russia-tasks-hollywood-actor-seagal-with-improving-us-ties">Russia tasks Hollywood actor Seagal with improving US ties</a></li></ul>Moscow said Seagal had been given the Order of Friendship for his &quot;major contribution to the development of international cultural and humanitarian cooperation.&quot;Last August, Seagal visited the eastern Ukraine region of Donetsk, including the destroyed Olenivka detention centre where dozens of Ukrainian prisoners were reported to have died.Ukraine and Moscow traded blame for an attack on the facility last July.In 2018, the Russian foreign ministry appointed Seagal a special representative for Russian-US humanitarian ties.He was granted Russian citizenship in 2016, when Putin personally handed a Russian passport to the actor during a televised meeting.Rex Tillerson, the former US Secretary of State and CEO of ExxonMobil, as well as current FIFA president Gianni Infantino are among notable foreigners to have also received the award.bur/js<div>© Agence France-Presse</div>

Russian President Vladimir Putin has bestowed a prestigious award on US actor Steven Seagal for his work on strengthening international 'cooperation,' according to an official decree released Monday.