What was Steven Seagal doing at Vladimir Putin's big Victory Day celebration? Here's what reports are saying
Tired of too many ads?
Remove Ads
What role does Seagal play in Russian politics now?
Tired of too many ads?
Remove Ads
Who else from the West showed up in Moscow?
Tired of too many ads?
Remove Ads
What happened at this year's Victory Day parade?
FAQs
American actor Steven Seagal was seen at Russia's Victory Day parade in Moscow, seated alongside the Night Wolves biker club The Hollywood star, who has been a close friend of Vladimir Putin , appeared on state television briefly, drawing attention amidst a show of military might and tense geopolitical overtones.The 1990s Hollywood action star was featured in state-controlled footage of the parade. The parade marked the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany's defeat, with world leaders and sophisticated Russian weaponry on display.Steven Seagal was one of the guests who stood out from the crowd as dozens of world leaders who support Russia gathered in Moscow to honour its military, according to state media.During the state media outlet Izvestia's coverage of Russia's Victory Day, Seagal made a brief appearance in close-up between shots of armoured vehicles thundering down the cobbled streets close to the Kremlin, as per a report by Business Insider.Over the weekend, a different video of the movie martial artist navigating the crowd on Friday also went viral on social media.According to a Moscow-based report by the French news agency Agence France-Presse, Seagal was spotted sitting close to the Night Wolves, a Russian nationalist motorcycle gang.Seagal, who became a citizen of Russia in 2016, has been outspoken in his support for Moscow and has been a long-time supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin.In order to promote Russian culture in the United States, Russia's foreign ministry appointed Seagal as a special representative in 2018. Seagal continued to openly support the Kremlin following its invasion of Ukraine.He wasn't the only well-known figure from American cinema who went to the parade on Friday. Photographers at the event included Oliver Stone , a three-time Oscar winner and the director of a four-hour documentary about Putin, as per a report by Business Insider.Their participation in the parade demonstrates how Russia aimed to increase the event's opulence in honour of the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany's World War II surrender.A few world leaders, primarily from nations in central Asia and eastern Europe, had shown up to watch the event.However, Moscow put on a show for the approximately two dozen leaders who attended, including Xi Jinping of China, on Friday.Although Ukraine threatened Moscow with multiple waves of attempted drone strikes that temporarily closed nearby airports, the parade was supposed to be a show of Russia's military might and confidence.This year, Russia aimed to restore its military grandeur in its previously subdued Victory Day parades.The appearance of contemporary tanks, fighter jets, and drones made that clear. Su-25 fighter jets roared over central Moscow with coloured smoke, while modern T-90 main battle tanks, Tornado-S multiple rocket launchers, and Iskander and Yars ballistic missiles wheeled past a raft of cameras on the street.Russian attack drones were also included in the procession for the first time, as per a report by Business Insider.He is a known Putin supporter who was invited as part of Russia's cultural diplomacy.The Night Wolves, a Russian nationalist group with ties to the Kremlin.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
29 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Amid Trump tariffs, Jaishankar invites Russian firms to engage ‘more intensively' with India
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday called upon Russian companies to engage "more intensively" with its Indian counterparts, citing New Delhi's initiatives that have opened more avenues for foreign businesses. S Jaishankar during the 26th Session of the India-Russia Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technical and Cultural cooperation, in Moscow(@DrSJaishankar) Addressing the India-Russia Business Forum in Moscow, Jaishankar highlighted the time-tested relationship the two countries have shared and called for deeper economic ties amid global uncertainty. "The 'Make in India' and other such initiatives have opened up new windows for foreign businesses. The modernisation and the urbanisation of India generate their own demands, flowing from shifts in consumption and lifestyle. Each of these dimensions represent an invitation for Russian companies to engage more intensively with their Indian counterparts. Our endeavour is to encourage them to rise to that challenge," he said. Jaishankar made the remarks after he highlighted how India's GDP was on a rise, drawing focus on the "need for large resources from dependable sources". "In some cases, it could be assured supplies of essential products, fertiliser, chemicals, and machinery, being good examples. Its rapidly growing infrastructure offers business openings to enterprises with an established track record in their own country," said Jaishankar. The External Affairs Minister's invite to Russian companies comes days ahead of US President Donald Trump's 50% tariff deadline for India. The Republican had earlier announced 25% duties on Indian imports, which he later doubled, citing India's oil trade with Russia. While one half of these tariffs have been imposed, the other are set to take effect on August 27. 'India-Russia ties one of steadiest' Further pushing for deeper trade ties between the two countries, S Jaishankar said in Moscow that while India and Russia's ties have been one of the steadiest over the years, it didn't reflect as much on the economic cooperation between them. "Our trade basket remains limited and till recently, so did our trade volume. It may have grown in recent years, but then, so too has the trade deficit. Both the diversification and balancing of trade now urgently mandate more strenuous efforts on our part. At the end of the day, they are essential not just to reach higher trade targets but even to sustain the existing levels," Jaishankar said. Pushing for both nations to contemplate more investments, joint ventures and other forms of collaboration, Jaishankar said that him and Russia's first deputy prime minister Denis Manturov want to send out a "clear message that an enduring strategic partnership must have a strong and sustainable economic component". Jaishankar also pushed for a sync between what the respective governments are discussing and what businesses are planning in order for India and Russia to collaborate better economically.
Mint
29 minutes ago
- Mint
Nikki Haley urges Trump to treat India as ‘prized free, democratic' partner amid tariffs, warns of ‘Strategic disaster'
As 50 per cent tariffs against India threatens the relationship between India and the United States, former US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley urged President Donald Trump to view India as a 'prized free and democratic partner' in countering China, warning that undoing 25 years of progress in ties with New Delhi would amount to a 'strategic disaster.' In an opinion piece for Newsweek, Nikki Haley said that the rise of India does not threaten the free world unlike, 'Communist-controlled China.' Nikki Haley said, 'India must be treated like the prized free and democratic partner that it is – not an adversary like China, which has thus far avoided sanctions for its Russian oil purchases, despite being one of Moscow's largest customers.' 'If that disparity does not demand a closer look at U.S.-India relations, the realities of hard power should. Scuttling 25 years of momentum with the only country that can serve as a counterweight to Chinese dominance in Asia would be a strategic disaster,' she said. 'Unlike Communist-controlled China, the rise of a democratic India does not threaten the free world. Partnership between the U.S. and India to counter China should be a no-brainer,' she added. Nikki Haley highlighted India's capacity to manufacture at a scale comparable to China, which she said could help the US shift critical supply chains away from Beijing. She said that China's ambitions will have to shrink as India's power grows. "In the short term, India is essential in helping the United States move its critical supply chains away from China. While the Trump administration works to bring manufacturing back to our shores, India stands alone in its potential to manufacture at a China-like scale for products that can't be quickly or efficiently produced here, like textiles, inexpensive phones, and solar panels," Nikki Haley said in the opinion piece. "India's growing clout and security involvement in the Middle East could prove essential in helping to stabilise the region as America seeks to send fewer troops and dollars there. And India's location at the centre of China's vital trade and energy flows could complicate Beijing's options in the case of a major conflict," she added.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
29 minutes ago
- First Post
US deploys three warships near Venezuelan coast in a bid to curb drug trafficking
The deployment comes as the Trump administration steps up pressure on Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, doubling its bounty to $50 million earlier this month on drug charges against the leftist strongman. US President Donald Trump is deploying three warships off the coast of Venezuela as part of efforts to curb drug trafficking, a source familiar with the move said Wednesday. The deployment comes as the Trump administration steps up pressure on Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, doubling its bounty to $50 million earlier this month on drug charges against the leftist strongman. The three Aegis-class guided missile destroyers are heading to the waters off Venezuela, the US source told AFP on condition of anonymity. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD US media reported that Washington was also planning to send 4,000 Marines to the region. Washington, which does not recognize Maduro's past two election victories, accuses him of leading the Cartel de los Soles ('Cartel of the Suns') cocaine trafficking gang. The Treasury Department gave the group a special terrorist designation last month, accusing it of supporting the Tren de Aragua and Sinaloa drug cartels, which were labeled foreign terrorist organizations earlier this year. The White House said on Tuesday that Trump would use 'every element' to stop drug trafficking, when asked about the possibility of US boots on the ground in Venezuela. 'President Trump has been very clear and consistent, he's prepared to use every element of American power to stop drugs from flooding into our country and to bring those responsible to justice,' Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said. Leavitt described the Venezuelan government as a 'narco-terror cartel.' 'And Maduro, it is the view of this administration, is not a legitimate president, he is a fugitive head of this cartel who has been indicted in the United States for trafficking drugs into this country,' she added. Maduro said on Monday that he would be deploying 4.5 million militia members across Venezuela in response to US 'threats.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
