Actor Depardieu granted Russian citizenship

Gerard Depardieu, the French actor who has waged a battle against a proposed super-tax on millionaires in his native country, has been granted Russian citizenship.

A brief announcement on the Kremlin website revealed president Vladimir Putin signed the citizenship grant following an application from the actor.

The star of the film Green Card has been vocal in his opposition to French president François Hollande’s plans to raise the tax on earned income above €1m to 75% from the current high of 41%. Russia has a flat 13% rate.