Steven Seagal awarded Russian citizenship

64-year-old Hollywood actor Steven Seagal has been awarded a Russian citizenship by Russian president, Vlasdimir Putin.

Seagal has been a regular visitor to Russia in recent years and has accompanied Putin to several events, including martial arts events, and has vocally defended Putin's policies.

Spokesman to Russian president, Dmitry Peskov told reporters that;

Seagal "has been insistent for a long time in asking to be granted Russian citizenship," adding that "he is known for his warm feelings to our country, he never made a secret of it, and he's also a well-known actor, which gave grounds to make him a Russian citizen."