Steven Seagalone of the icons of American action movies of the 1990s and early 2000s, has just opened an aikido center in Moscow to prepare young Russians to join the Russian armed forces, according to a report by Marca .

Segal, who became a Russian citizen in 2016, holds a black belt in aikido. “The young people I saw today have great potential. We need to open more such centers to enhance this potential. It is important that the development of aikido proceeds at a faster pace,” Sigal told Russia’s TASS news agency.

Steven Seagal has never hidden his support for Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom he has called “one of the greatest world leaders, if not the greatest leader alive today.” Putin recently awarded him the Order of Friendship.

The actor, who has previously advocated Russia’s annexation of Crimea, last year visited the Russian town of Olenivka and the prison camp for Ukrainian prisoners.

In 2021, Steven Seagal presented the president of Venezuela with a samurai sword on behalf of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.