Washington DC ice hockey star campaigns for Putin’s party
Washington DC ice hockey star campaigns for Putin’s party
Emily SmithTue, September 15, 2026 at 4:13 PM UTC
11
Alex Ovechkin seen in action in July - Getty Images/Maksim Konstantinov
One of the top stars in the National Hockey League (NHL) has appeared in a campaign video for Vladimir Putin’s ruling party.
Alexander Ovechkin, the NHL’s all-time leading goalscorer, appeared in the advert for the ruling United Russia party ahead of the country’s September elections.
The left winger for the Washington Capitals stood behind Sergey Lavrov, the country’s foreign minister and Margarita Simonyan, the head of Russian state television network RT.
Russian business newspaper Vedomosti first published photographs from the campaign, in which Mr Lavrov declared their enemies should “expect no mercy”.
Mr Ovechkin, 40, is a long-time supporter of Putin. In 2017, he launched Putin Team, a pro-Putin social movement aimed at uniting “people who are proud of their country and want to make Russia stronger” ahead of the 2018 election.
Announcing the campaign, the Russian national said: “Today, I want to announce a social movement in the name of Putin Team.”
Alongside a picture of Mr Ovechkin being embraced by the Russian leader and the hashtag #putinteam, he added: “Be a part of this team – to me it’s a privilege, it’s like the feeling of when you put on the jersey of the Russian team, knowing that the whole country is rooting for you.”
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the athlete has toned down his support for the leader, although he has maintained a close relationship with Putin.
He has the Russian president’s personal phone number and received a wedding present from him when he married Anastasia Shubskaya in 2016.
Addressing the controversy surrounding the relationship, Mr Ovechkin previously said: “It’s been good reactions, and it’s been bad reactions. People have own mind [sic], own views.”
The child of Soviet-era athletes, Mr Ovechkin, who has been nicknamed “Alexander the Great”, began his hockey career in Moscow before moving to Washington in 2005.
The new campaign video was released ahead of Russia’s State Duma elections, which will take place from Sept 18 to 20. Mr Lavrov is the leading candidate for the United Russia party.
Advertisement
Speaking in the video, Mr Lavrov says: “As it happens, my entire professional life has been connected with diplomacy. Moscow remains faithful to our nation’s centuries-old traditions. It has been this way since time immemorial and it will continue to be so.
“When others deal with us honestly, we will always reach an agreement. When they lie to us or break their word, let them blame themselves. But as for those who come at us with a sword, they should expect no mercy. We’ll stand united, just as we do today.”
The hockey player stood directly behind Ms Simonyan in the video, the editor-in-chief of the state broadcaster, who has widely been accused of being a Russian propagandist.
Others in the video included Vyacheslav Nikonov, first deputy chair of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs and Sergei Krikalev, deputy director general at Roscosmos, Russia’s state-owned space corporation.
Ovechkin holds up the Stanley Cup trophy during the NHL hockey team’s 2018 victory celebration - The /Jacquelyn Martin
Actor Vladimir Mashkov and Tatyana Kurtukova, a singer, also appeared in the advertisement.
The video has been met with fierce criticism from some who believe Mr Ovechkin should be removed from the US team and the country over his pro-Putin stance.
Terry Virts, a retired Nasa astronaut, said on social media: “Alexander Ovechkin should not be allowed back into the USA, much less the NHL. I hope the Capitals do the right thing and immediately release him from their team.”
Jason Kenney, a Canadian politician who served as the 18th premier of Alberta, wrote on X: “Alexei Ovechkin has chosen to publicly endorse Putin’s quasi-fascist party that is responsible for untold murder, death and suffering in Ukraine and elsewhere.
“Shame on him, and any companies that enrich him.”
Sergey Kocharov, spokesman for the Washington Capitals, said: “Alex Ovechkin is a Russian citizen who lives in Moscow with his family during the offseason and will live there following his retirement.
“As the longest-tenured athlete in Washington, DC, and a pillar of the community, his focus and ours is on the season ahead and the continued impact he makes on the ice and in our city.”
The NHL and Mr Ovechkin have been approached by The Telegraph for comment.
Try full access to The Telegraph free today. Unlock their award-winning website and essential news app, plus useful tools and expert guides for your money, health and holidays.
Source: “AOL Breaking”
