American action movie star and Putin friend Steven Seagal has repeatedly expressed his support for the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine. Now he has returned to Kremlin propaganda and traveled to eastern Ukraine, which is occupied by troops loyal to Moscow. There he visited Olenivka Prison, where 50 Ukrainian POWs were killed in an explosion at the end of July. Ukraine accuses Russia of blowing up prison to cover up torture. Moscow, on the other hand, speaks of a Ukrainian missile attack.
The Hollywood actor wants to shoot a documentary in eastern Ukraine, the head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, Denis Puschilin, wrote on Telegram. Since most of the people talking about the war were still in Donbass, “the world doesn’t know the truth. It wants to change the perception of this war,” he explained Seagal’s motivations.
In the Olenivka prison, Seagal has “personally examined the evidence — including parts of US missiles — confirming Kiev’s ties to the massacre of its own soldiers,” pro-Kremlin TV host Vladimir Solovyov claimed on his Telegram account. The separatists, backed by Russia, had previously presented alleged fragments of US-made HIMARS missiles.
Kiev speaks of targeted demolition
The Ukrainian secret services, on the other hand, accuse Russia of deliberately blowing up the prison to cover up the torture and executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war. The allegations and information from the two warring parties have not yet been independently verified.
The International Committee of the Red Cross, which oversees the safety of prisoners of war in Olenivka, has still not been granted access to the compound. The UN wants to send a reconnaissance mission there – but both Russia and Ukraine should agree.
Seagal ‘asked awkward questions’
Many of the prisoners were Azovstal fighters who surrendered after defending the Mariupol steel mill. Seagal also met with Ukrainian prisoners of war, including soldiers of the Azov regiment”and asked them uncomfortable questions,” Solovyov explained.
The visit caused a stir internationally. Steven Seagal has been friends with Russian President Vladimir Putin for years, was granted Russian citizenship in 2016 and is also Moscow’s special envoy for humanitarian relations between Russia and the US.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
