Steven Seagal named Russian special envoy to US

Seagal was granted Russian citizenship in 2016 Credit: AP

Action hero Steven Seagal has been appointed by Russia as a special envoy for humanitarian ties with the US.

The Russian foreign ministry announced the move on its Facebook page, saying Seagal's portfolio would be to "facilitate relations between Russia and the United States in the humanitarian field, including cooperation in culture, arts, public and youth exchanges".

The unpaid position will be similar to a UN goodwill ambassador's role, the foreign ministry said.

Seagal, whose films include Hard To Kill and Under Siege, is an accomplished martial artist - like Russian president Vladimir Putin.

The actor, who was granted Russian citizenship in 2016, has robustly defended the Russian leader's policies and once told Piers Morgan on ITV's Good Morning Britain that anyone who thought Putin had attempted to rig the US elections was "stupid".

Seagal's defence of Putin's policies has included defending Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea, which last year led to Ukraine banning Seagal from entering the country for five years, citing national security reasons.