Washington (CNN) Russia appointed actor Steven Seagal as a "special representative" on US-Russian humanitarian ties, the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in statement on its official Facebook page Saturday. 
 
 According to the statement , the action star's role will be to promote US-Russia relations "in the humanitarian sphere," adding that the role will include collaboration "in the sphere of culture, public and youth exchanges." 
 
 The foreign ministry said the unpaid role will be similar to the United Nations' goodwill ambassador positions. 
 
 Seagal, who became a Russian citizen in 2016, is a close friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin. He attended Putin's recent swearing-in ceremony in May. 
 
 Seagal has been an ardent supporter of Putin, going so far as to defend his government against allegations of election meddling in the United States. He told Piers Morgan on the British ITV network's "Good Morning Britain" last year, "For anyone to think that Vladimir Putin had anything to do with fixing the elections, or even that the Russians have that kind of technology, is stupid." 
 
 "And this kind of propaganda is really a diversion ... so that the people in the United States of America won't really see what's happening, " he added. 
 
 In the interview, Seagal also praised Putin as "a great world leader" and a "brilliant tactician." 
 
 In 2013, BuzzFeed reported that Putin suggested to President Barack Obama that Seagal serve as an honorary envoy of Russia to help improve relations between the two countries. Also that year, California Republican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher credited Seagal with facilitating meetings for a congressional delegation that visited Russia in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings to investigate the suspects' backgrounds and discuss intelligence sharing issues. 
 
 CNN has reached out Seagal's spokesperson for comment. ||||| Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Mr Seagal is the latest international actor to be granted Russian citizenship 
 
 US actor Steven Seagal has been given Russian citizenship, the Kremlin says. 
 
 President Putin signed a decree to make the award to the martial arts expert, who starred in Hollywood action thrillers during the 1990s. 
 
 Seagal is friends with Mr Putin, who he has described as "one of the greatest world leaders". 
 
 Mr Putin's spokesman said Seagal was known for his warm feelings towards Russia and his status as a famous actor was a reason to make him a citizen. 
 
 Seagal made headlines when he described Russia's actions in Crimea, which it annexed in 2014, as "very reasonable". A keen guitarist, he played a concert there the same year. 
 
 In 2013 Mr Putin reportedly proposed that Seagal be made an honorary consul of Russia in California and Arizona. 
 
 The move would have made Seagal a potential intermediary between the White House and the Kremlin, Buzzfeed reported. The US refused. 
 
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 Image copyright AFP Image caption President Putin and Seagal have previously teamed up to promote exercise for schoolchildren 
 
 Image copyright AFP Image caption Seagal played a concert in Crimea in 2014 after its annexation by Russia 
 
 Seagal, whose grandmother was from Vladivostok in Russia's far east, has made frequent trips to Russia in recent years and visited Kamchatka and Sakhalin in September. 
 
 He said during the visit that he wanted to spend several months a year in the country, Russia's Tass news agency reported. 
 
 Seagal follows other celebrities including French actor Gerard Depardieu, US mixed martial arts fighter Jeff Monson, US boxer Roy Jones and US snowboarder Vic Wild in taking Russian citizenship. 
 
 Earlier this year Seagal was given Serbian nationality after offering to set up a martial arts school in the capital Belgrade. 
 
 The action star's movie credits include Under Siege and Flight of Fury and he has also starred in his own US reality TV show, Steven Seagal: Lawman.
– Actor Steven Seagal has taken on a new role, though it's not likely the kind you'd expect. Per the AP, the Under Siege star has been appointed as a special envoy to the United States on humanitarian issues. Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the news on its Facebook page Saturday. The ministry said the unpaid role will "facilitate relations between Russia and the United States in the humanitarian field, including cooperation in culture, arts, public and youth exchanges." According to CNN, the role will be akin to the United Nations' goodwill ambassador positions. While not a typical role for an actor known more for his martial arts skills than his diplomatic chops, the announcement is no big surprise for those who've followed Seagal at all in the last few years. A close friend of Russian president Vladimir Putin's, the 66-year-old was made a Russian citizen in late 2016 and has publicly defended the leader from critics who question the legality of his most recent election. Seagal was a guest at Putin's swearing in last May after he won the election. Seagal has also vocally defended the Russian leader's most controversial policies, including Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea.