NHL superstar Alex Ovechkin is facing fresh backlash after appearing in a campaign ad for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party ahead of this week’s parliamentary elections.
The Washington Capitals captain, who has supported Putin for years, is seen standing in the high-profile political spot alongside some of Russia’s most prominent pro-Kremlin figures.
Ovechkin, 40, has largely avoided speaking publicly about Russian politics since the invasion of Ukraine began in 2022. At the time, he said Putin was still his president but added that he hoped the fighting would come to an end.
Now, the NHL’s all-time regular-season goals leader has stepped back into the political spotlight.
Ovechkin made hockey history last year when he scored his record-breaking 895th regular-season goal, passing one of the sport’s most famous milestones. He has spent his entire NHL career with the Capitals and signed a one-year contract extension in July.
Even as he prepares for another season in Washington, Ovechkin found time to appear in the United Russia campaign ad.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the party’s leading candidate, does the talking in the video.
Lavrov delivers a tough warning, saying that “those who come at us with a sword” should “expect no mercy,” while adding that those who stand with Russia will be met with “agreement.”
Standing behind Lavrov are Ovechkin and Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of the Russian government-controlled RT network.
Ovechkin’s appearance immediately sparked anger among some hockey fans online.
Several users on X accused the Capitals star of allowing himself to be used by the Kremlin, with one critic calling him a “tool for Russian propaganda.”
The controversy puts renewed attention on Ovechkin’s longtime relationship with Putin just as the hockey legend prepares to return to the ice for another NHL season.
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