Who is that tough guy lurking among the crowds at Russia's Victory Day Parade? Yes, it's Steven Seagal.
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The image of the United States action star sitting among the crowd of dignitaries watching the parade for the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II has emerged online, raising the question: What is the star of Under Siege and Above the Law doing at an event boycotted by most Western dignitaries?
Despite the Soviet Union's deep sacrifices during the war, Western leaders boycotted the 70th anniversary event in response to Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea last year and its ongoing backing of separatists in eastern Ukraine.
None of this has diminished Seagal's warm friendship with international tough guy Russian president Vladimir Putin, which has drawn comparisons to US basketball star Dennis Rodman's diplomatic dalliance in North Korea's politics. Putin himself suggested in 2012 that Seagal become an honorary intermediary between Russia and the US, a proposal to which one US official said drew a reaction along the lines of: "You've got to be kidding".
