Steven Seagal and Vladimir Putin have bizarrely developed a friendship over their mutual love of martial arts.

But their relationship seems to have moved on to the next level, with Seagal supporting Putin's actions in Crimea.

The film star has expressed his support for Putin's actions in a 2,000 word interview with state-run newspaper Rossiskaya Gazeta.

The Moscow Times reported that Mr Seagal said President Vladimir Putin's "desire to protect the Russian-speaking people of Crimea, his assets, and the Russian Black Sea military base in Sevastopol … is very reasonable."

In an interview last year, Seagal said of Putin: “I want to be polite and say I don’t know him very well, I would like to think I know him well. But I know him well enough to know that he is one of the greatest world leaders, if not the greatest world leader alive.”

Inspired by both Russia winning 33 medals at the Sochi Olympics and, apparently, Steven Seagal, Putin has reinstated a Soviet-style fitness workout called “Ready for Labor and Defense and has funded the workout program with the games’ leftover money.

The aim of the programme if to get all Russians into tip-top shape to both work and fight for their country.