The Reason Steven Seagal Is Banned From Ukraine

People who didn't closely follow the fortunes of actor Steven Seagal may have been surprised on May 5, 2017, when The Guardian reported that Ukraine had forbidden his entrance for five years, citing him as a threat to national security.

In a letter announcing the Seagal embargo, the Ukrainian security service wrote that the actor had

"...committed socially dangerous actions [...] that contradict the interests of maintaining Ukrainian security."

One of those actions was his receiving Russian citizenship in 2016. Seagal was given his Russian passport by none other than strongman President Vladimir Putin himself, who said he hoped that their, quote, "personal relationship will remain and continue."

That special relationship came about in part because of Seagal's support of Putin's annexation of Crimea. In an interview Seagal gave to Russia Today, the Kremlin's media outlet, he lambasted U.S. opposition to the move, while endorsing Putin's actions.

"[His] desire to protect the Russian-speaking people of Crimea, his assets, and the Russian Black Sea military base in Sevastopol [...] is very reasonable."

Seagal's vocal support earned him both the position of Russian Envoy to the US, as well as an eventual path to Russian citizenship and more. About Putin's evaluation of Seagal, Dmitry Peskov, Putin's spokesperson, said,

"I wouldn't necessarily say [Putin is] a huge fan, but he's definitely seen some of [Seagal's] movies."

Crimea, of course, was part of Ukraine until Russia invaded and annexed it, so their unhappiness with Seagal is understandable. But they aren't alone. In 2014, AFP reported that Estonia had cancelled Seagal's appearance at a blues festival after popular outcry. Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet said,

"Steven Seagal has tried to actively participate in politics during the past few months, and has done it in a way which is unacceptable to the majority of the world that respects democracy and the rule of law."

Paet also called Seagal's support of the Russian annexation of Crimea, quote, "mindless praise" of a move that many — from the Brookings Institute to the EU to the US Embassy in Ukraine – consider to be illegal.

That mindless praise included Seagal calling Putin, quote, "one of the greatest world leaders." Estonia can empathize with Crimea, as the Baltic republic was itself subjected to Russian occupation during the Cold War. It broke away from the USSR in 1991 and later joined NATO in 2004 in defense against Russian influence.

And Seagal's support for Russia's exploits extends further than television appearances. Just a few weeks after Estonia cancelled his gig, The Guardian noted that Seagal played at a pro-separatist concert in Sevastopol, an annexed port city in Crimea. In a move to double down on his support of Putin's actions in Crimea, the action star appeared on stage wrapped in the flag of the Ukrainian pro-Russia separatists. He was also seen sporting a Putin T-shirt that the concert's organizer gave him.

Oh, and there was also a section where bikers danced in the shape of a giant human swastika as a Hitler speech played in the background. So... there's that too.

But while Seagal may talk the talk in public, behind closed doors he doesn't seem to want to be a responsible Russian citizen. In December 2020, The Moscow Times reported that the actor's Russian bank account had been frozen for his failure to pay taxes in the country. A spokesperson for Seagal told the Russian-language news outlet Moskva, quote, "Most likely, this is some kind of mistake."

The Russian Federal Tax Service, however, said they were justified in the decision to suspend his financial activity in Russia. And the fact that Seagal would want to be a Russian citizen without paying his fair share in taxes really comes as no surprise. His support for Putin reveals a lack of ethics and respect for human rights — and appearance on the same stage as a bunch of swastika-dancing bikers doesn't help redeem him. Not to mention all the other accusations against him.

There's only one way to describe Seagal and his tattered reputation these days: Under Siege.

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