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Putin fan Steven Seagal poses at Russian prison camp in Ukraine days after explosion kills 50-Rachael O'Connor-Entertainment – Metro
The actor has been made a special envoy of Russia.
Steven Seagal was pictured looking in at Ukrainian prisoners in a Russian-controlled prison (Picture: Vladimir Solovyov/Telegram)
Steven Seagal has been seen visiting a Russian prison camp in Ukraine, days after an explosion killed 50 prisoners.
The actor, who is a vocal supporter of President Vladimir Putin, was photographed this week looking through the bars of the Russian-controlled camp at the prisoners inside.
On 29 July, the prison – which is based in Olenivka in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine – was the site of an explosion that killed 50.
As reported by the Mail Online, Ukraine’s military claimed Russia had ‘deliberately planned’ the transfer of some prisoners to new premises before the explosion.
They suggested it was evidence of the ‘planned nature of this crime and its commission by the, Russian side.’
However Russia claims Ukraine ordered the attack to stop prisoners from giving information to their captors.
Seagal stood in the damaged prison, which was rocked by an explosion which killed 50 just days ago (Picture: Vladimir Solovyov/Telegram)
Seagal has a special relationship with Russia and often praises its leader, who this year ordered a full-scale invasion of Ukraine which has devastated the country.
In 2016, the Under Siege actor was made a special envoy of Russia and given an exceptional passport to the country.
Seagal had hailed Putin as ‘one of the greatest world leaders, if not the greatest world leader, alive today,’ and called his annexation of Crimea ‘reasonable’.
The actor was seen examining shrapnel as the clean-up on the prison continues (Picture: Vladimir Solovyov/Telegram
Seagal has had a special relationship with Russia for years, and it supposed to be banned from Ukraine (Picture: Vladimir Solovyov/Telegram)
Following the comments and special treatment from Russia, Seagal was banned from entering Ukraine for five years from 2017.
Now however, the actor has been seen in the eastern region of the country as he checked out the damage done to the prison.
The actor was pictured staring at the prisoners, his hands gripping the bars of the cage.
He was later pictured standing inside the prison, seemingly musing over the massive damage done by the explosion, and sitting on a bench examining shrapnel.
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In April, Seagal celebrated his 70th birthday in Russia alongside some of the most elite and powerful figures in the country.
In a video clip from the night, Seagal can be heard telling those gathered around him – believed to include Russian allies who have been placed on an EU sanctions list – that they were his ‘family.’
Seagal said in English, with the help of a translator by his side: ‘I love all of you and we stand together, through thick and through thin.’
The actor previously praised Putin, saying his annexation of Crime was ‘very reasonable’ (Picture: AFP)
As per The Times, those gathered at the bash included Russian state TV host Vladimir Soleviev and Russian journalist Margarita Simonyan.
Seagal’s praise comes after it was announced that thousands of ‘crimes against humanity’ in Ukraine will be investigated.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed to hold Russians ‘accountable’ for atrocities such as rape and torture.
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He said: ‘The Russian state must be responsible for this war. Russian officials and military commanders, all those guilty of war crimes, must be held accountable.
‘It’s not just about us, it’s not just about Ukraine. The real Russian plans are obvious to everyone. Ukraine is just the beginning.’
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