Ukrainian authorities have announced the dismantling of an arms trafficking network that supplied several Kremlin associates. Among the alleged beneficiaries cited by Kyiv is reportedly American actor Steven Seagal.

Steven Seagal involved in arms trafficking? Ukrainian authorities announced on Tuesday, April 28, the dismantling of a network suspected of having supplied several figures close to the Kremlin.

The list revealed by investigators includes: Kim Jong-un, Bashar al-Assad, Dmitri Medvedev, Sergey Lavrov, Ramzan Kadyrov… but also the American actor.

According to Ukrainian police, some of the weapons originated in Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia. Equipment is believed to have been smuggled through these territories before being modified and redistributed. Among the weapons were Glock pistols that had been converted into combat weapons.

According to Kyiv, they were then resold to criminal networks or handed over to illegal armed groups.

The American actor close to the Russian president

Some of the weapons were reportedly given as honorary gifts by Denis Pushilin , head of the Russian administration in the Donetsk region. It is in this capacity that Steven Seagal's name appears among the alleged recipients cited by Kyiv.

Having been granted Russian citizenship in 2016 by decree of Vladimir Putin, the American actor has for several years displayed his close ties with Moscow. He was also appointed in 2018 as the Russian Foreign Ministry's special representative for humanitarian relations with the United States.

Operation "Black Channel"

This investigation, dubbed "Black Channel" and opened in January, has already led to several arrests with the help of Polish authorities, according to Kyiv.

Searches carried out in several Ukrainian regions also resulted in the seizure of assault rifles, machine guns, ammunition, technical documents and a light armored vehicle.

The operation would now continue with the support of Europol.