The Ukraine government has officially considered the 65-year old actor, Steven Seagal, as a national security threat and has banned him from entering the country for the next five years. Reports have revealed that the actor, and a 7th-dan black belt in Aikido, is no longer welcome into the country after having "committed socially dangerous actions."
A security threat
The Ukrainian government didn't outline Seagal's specific actions that led to the ban, but they did mention that his actions are contradictory to the interest of maintaining the country's security.
This is according to the recently uncovered Ukrainian security service letter that was published on Apostrophe, which was later reported by The Guardian.
Friendship with Russia
Despite the lack of any details regarding the 90s action flick actor's infraction, some reports have speculated that his close friendship with Russian President Vladimir Putin may have something to do with it. Seagal is well known for his outspoken political views against the enemies of Russia.
Seagal, who holds citizenships in Russia, the US, and Siberia, previously expressed his support for Russia's annexation of Crimea. The actor even proclaimed that Ukraine was nothing more than a country controlled by fascists. Seagal also participated in several Pro-Putin rallies, including a motorcycle parade in the Crimean peninsula.
The actor even proclaimed that Putin's actions are just to protect the Russian-speaking people of Crimea and its assets, which happens to just include the Russian Black Sea Military Base in Sevastopol.
Honored by Putin
Due to his involvement in the entire annexation, President Putin granted Seagal full Russian citizenship. The president personally handed Seagal his Russian Passport in a big televised formal ceremony that was held late last year.
Putin even proposed the idea that he was going to be making Seagal the honorary Russian envoy to the United States.
An activist and a businessman
Seagal currently has some business interests in Russia, including his partnership with Russian firearms manufacturer ORSIS. The actor is representing the brand and has appeared in numerous promotional campaigns. Aside from his professional endeavors, the actor is also an environmentalist and an animal rights activist, which even resulted in him winning a PETA Humanitarian Award back in 1999.
