Washington Capitals left winger Alexander Ovechkin stated on September 17, 2025, during the team’s media day that his decision to appear in a political campaign advertisement for the United Russia party stemmed directly from his nationality.
Ovechkin Explains United Russia Ad Appearance
The campaign advertisement features Ovechkin standing behind Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The United Russia party holds backing from Russian President Vladimir Putin. “I’m Russian, and I support my country,” Ovechkin said. He added that he stands for peace, stating, “I’m for peace and love, and I hope in the world it doesn’t matter who you are, I hope everybody understands, everybody wants peace and everybody hope everything is going to be okay in the world.”
Longstanding Ties to Vladimir Putin and Scrutiny
Ovechkin has faced continuous scrutiny regarding his longstanding public ties to Vladimir Putin, particularly as Russia continues its war in Ukraine. In 2017, the hockey star formed a public movement in support of Putin, and he maintains a photograph of himself alongside the Russian president as his Instagram profile picture. Following the launch of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Ovechkin publicly called for peace. At that time, when questioned about his support for Putin, he remarked, “Well, he is my president. But… I am not in politics. I am an athlete and…”
Future Plans in Russia After Hockey Career
During his media day remarks, Ovechkin also addressed his long-term living arrangements once his playing days conclude. “I’m gonna live there, my kids gonna live there, family. I’m for peace and love and I hope everything’s going to be okay.” Ovechkin has scored 929 goals across 1,573 regular-season NHL games and previously led the Washington Capitals to a Stanley Cup victory in 2018.
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