Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and Hollywood action hero Steven Seagal visited a newly built wrestling school in Moscow in 2013. FILE/AFP.
Moscow: A group of politicians with the US-Europe Sanctions Coalition has demanded imposition of sanction on Hollywood action movie actor Steven Seagal for allegedly supporting Russia’s offensive in Ukraine.
Earlier this week, a coalition comprising of senior members of the US Congress, MEPs, and parliamentarians from Ukraine handed a list to Swedish Foreign Affairs Minister Tobias Billstorm that mentioned the names of the people it wants sanctioned.
In December, the same list was sent to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the EU’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell.
Ukrainian MP Aleksey Goncharenko, who is a member of the coalition, said that the purpose of the list is to “synchronize sanctions” across all member countries.
Goncharenko further insisted that “those who are guilty of the crime of aggression against Ukraine” must be held responsible and “pay their price.”
Sanction Steven Seagal
The 70-year-old actor was made a Russian citizen in 2016 with President Vladimir Putin handing over Seagal his Russian passport.
Seagal is a United States citizen by birth and was made a Serbian citizen in 2016.
There has been demand to sanction Seagal for supporting the Russian military operation in Ukraine and traveling to Moscow in April to celebrate his 70th birthday with associates of Putin, who he called a “great leader”.
The actor was also given land by Russian authorities in the prestigious Rublevka area near Moscow that was earlier allocated for the care of children with cancer.
According to a report by Russian state-run news agency RIA Novosti, Seagal’s paternal grandparents were Russian Jews who immigrated to the US.
The action actor traces his roots in the regions of Kalmykia, Tuva and Yakutia.
Seagal working on war documentary
According to reports, Seagal was working on a documentary about Ukraine’s war against the Donbass republics, which have since joined Russia after holding public referendums.
The sanction list was prepared in October and recommended six people to be put under sanctions for their support of Russia’s invasion in Ukraine on 24 February, 2022, and for their approval of Putin’s “aggressive occupation policy.”
Ukrainian MP Goncharenko said, “Putin has such a favorite pastime–former politicians, famous actors, musicians–to involve in his propaganda. He gives a lot of money, and for this, he asks to promote his narratives or put these famous people in high positions in state-owned companies in Russia.”
The lawmaker further alleged that Putin has been using his celebrity friends in the propaganda war against Ukraine to “pretend that all [Russia’s] crimes are not crimes, but a fight against the Ukrainian Nazis, whom he invented.”
Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News,India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.