NHL superstar Ovechkin ‘was asked’ to film Putin ad, team says
Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin appears in a campaign video for Russia's ruling United Russia party ahead of parliamentary elections, a move the team said came after he was "asked by his country to participate." The film, featuring prominent domestic figures, has reignited criticism of Ovechkin's public support for President Vladimir Putin amid Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine.
Why It Matters
The appearance links a high-profile international athlete to a domestic political campaign during tightly controlled elections that the Kremlin views as a gauge of public sentiment on the war in Ukraine. Ovechkin's involvement underscores tensions between sports figures' influence, national allegiance, and international scrutiny as the conflict continues.
Key Facts
- Team response: The Washington Capitals said Ovechkin "was asked by his country to participate" in the video and emphasized his focus on the NHL season and community impact.
- Campaign video: Ovechkin appears among prominent Russians in a video promoting President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party ahead of nationwide parliamentary elections this week.
- Ovechkin's political history: He founded the "PutinTeam" social movement in 2017 and uses a photo of himself with Putin on his official Instagram page.
- Ovechkin's public stance on the war: After Russia's invasion of Ukraine he pleaded for "no more war," saying "He's my president, but ... I'm not in politics."
- Criticism and protests: Capitals fans protested outside Capital One Arena in 2023 calling for Ovechkin to remove photos of Putin from his Instagram; Czech ex-player Dominik Hasek criticized Ovechkin on X.
Alex Ovechkin, the Washington Capitals' record-setting goal scorer, appears in a campaign video for Russia's ruling United Russia party, the team confirmed after facing criticism. A Capitals spokesperson said the 40-something forward "was asked by his country to participate" while he was in Russia this summer, and stressed that both he and the franchise remain focused on the upcoming NHL season and his impact in Washington, DC.
Ovechkin's presence in the film is consistent with his prior public support for President Vladimir Putin: he created the "PutinTeam" movement in 2017 and features a photograph with Putin on his official Instagram account. Although he has previously voiced a plea for "no more war" and declared that he is "not in politics," his involvement in the campaign has drawn renewed scrutiny as Russia enters the fifth year of its war in Ukraine.
The video was released ahead of nationwide parliamentary elections that are widely expected to leave United Russia with a Duma majority. The Kremlin views the vote as an indicator of public sentiment regarding the war, which the article says has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths. Ovechkin's endorsement, critics argue, lends high-profile domestic legitimacy to the ruling party at a sensitive political moment.
Opponents of Ovechkin's public support for Putin have been vocal: Capitals fans protested outside the team's arena in 2023 and former Czech star Dominik Hasek publicly condemned the athlete's stance on social media. On the ice, Ovechkin — who has scored an NHL-record 929 goals in 1,573 games — signed a one-year, $4.25 million contract in July to return for a 22nd season and has not confirmed whether it will be his last.
Keep Reading
Lebanon returns 37 artefacts smuggled out of Egypt six years ago
Republican US senator slams Trump vaccine policy amid rising measles deaths
Al-Mughayyir: A village under siege
