PYATiGORSK, October 6 (RIA Novosti) - Hollywood star Steven Seagal said he hoped to become a part of Chechnya in the future and that leader of the republic Ramzan Kadyrov would always be his friend.
Speaking at the at a gala concert on Saturday, dedicated to the 195th anniversary of the republic’s capital of Grozny, Seagal thanked Kadyrov for inviting him and his family to the event, which also coincided with the Chechen leader’s 37th birthday.
Seagal also called Kadyrov the great leader of the republic and praised his father Ahmad, who became the leader of Chechnya in 2003 but was assassinated in a terrorist attack in May of 2004.
This is not the first Seagal’s visit to Chechnya this year. In May, the 61-year-old star of action movies met with Kadyrov at his residence in Grozny and the Chechen leader later said that Seagal was “almost a Chechen” national.
Pompous festivities dedicated to the anniversary of Grozny and Kadyrov’s birthday on October 5 are often attended by foreign celebrities. Last year the celebrations were attended by French actor Gerard Depardieu and in 2011 by Hollywood stars Jean-Claude Van Damme and Hilary Swank.
