NHL star Ovechkin appears in campaign video for Putin’s party

Washington Capitals star Alexander Ovechkin appeared in a political ad this week for the ruling United Russia Party, a group aligned with President Vladimir Putin.

The 40-year-old Capitals captain was spotted in the background of the video which promoted the United Russia Party ahead of Russia’s parliamentary election. He stood alongside Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, RT editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan and Russian military personnel.

In the video, Lavrov warned that “those who come at us with a sword, they should expect no mercy” because “when others deal with us honestly, we will always reach an agreement.”

A spokesperson for the Washington Capitals, Sergey Kocharov, told The Hill, “Alex Ovechkin is a Russian citizen who lives in Moscow with his family during the offseason and will live there following his retirement.”

“This summer, while in Russia, he was asked by his country to participate in a video campaign. As the longest-tenured athlete in Washington, D.C. 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,” Kocharov said.

Ovechkin has been a visible supporter of Putin since 2017, even creating the “ Putin Team ” to support the Russian president who was up for reelection.

“Lately, in the Western Press, I’m noticing a comparison to Putin’s team. And you know, I really liked that comparison,” he wrote at the time. “Personally, I’m ready to be a member of that team. I never hid my relationship with our President, always openly supporting him.”

Ovechkin has also been outspoken about his hope for the war between Russia and Ukraine to “end soon” shortly after Moscow initiated its full-scale invasion of its neighbor in 2022.

“Please, no more war. It doesn’t matter who is in the war — Russia, Ukraine, different countries — we have to live in peace,” he told reporters.

When asked whether he supported Putin in the days following Russia’s attacks on Ukraine, Ovechkin said, “Well, he’s my president.”

“But how I said, I’m not in politics, I’m an athlete,” he added.

Despite the answer, Putin praised Ovechkin last year when the hockey player became the top goal scorer in NHL history.

“This achievement has become not only your personal success, but also a real celebration for fans in Russia and abroad,” Putin said in a statement.

The Russia-Ukraine conflict is ongoing, with Ukraine hitting a Russian naval base and terminal for loading oil in the past week. A Russian drone struck near a mall in northern Ukraine on Wednesday, as well, killing at least two and wounding 14 others.

The Washington Capitals posted this week that Ovechkin had returned to Washington, D.C., after the NHL’s offseason and is participating in practices for the upcoming 2026-2027 season.