NHL superstar Alex Ovechkin is defending his appearance in a campaign ad for Vladimir Putin's United Russia party, stating he participated simply because he is Russian and supports his country. The ad, which features prominent Kremlin figures like Sergey Lavrov, has sparked intense backlash. U.S. Representative Joe Wilson called on the NHL to review the matter, while Latvia declared Ovechkin persona non grata. Ovechkin maintains he is not pro-war and hopes for peace.
Ovechkin United Russia ad
- ▪In the United Russia campaign video, Alex Ovechkin stands silently behind Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov alongside other public figures, including RT editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan.
- ▪The United Russia campaign advertisement also features Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia's commissioner for children's rights, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for the unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children.
- ▪Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin appeared in a political campaign advertisement for Russia's ruling United Russia party ahead of the country's September 18-20, 2026 parliamentary elections.
Congressional criticism
- ▪U.S. Representative Joe Wilson questioned whether the NHL has policies governing active players appearing in political advertisements for foreign regimes and asked the league to clarify that Alex Ovechkin's actions do not represent the organization.
- ▪U.S. Representative Joe Wilson sent a letter on September 15, 2026 to NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman calling Alex Ovechkin's participation in the campaign ad shameful and requesting a review of the matter.
Public backlash
- ▪Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze announced on September 17, 2026 that Alex Ovechkin and Russian oligarch Umar Kremlev have been declared persona non grata and barred from entering Latvia indefinitely.
- ▪Hall of Fame goaltender Dominik Hasek criticized Alex Ovechkin and other ad participants, stating they chose to officially support Russia's imperialist war in Ukraine, which would lead to more deaths.
- ▪Celebrity restaurateur and Washington Capitals fan Jose Andres condemned Alex Ovechkin's appearance in the United Russia advertisement, calling it a sad day for the hockey team.
Ovechkin defends participation
- ▪Alex Ovechkin insisted during his team's preseason media day that he is not pro-war, is full of peace and love, and hopes for peace for Americans, Russians, and Ukrainians alike.
- ▪Alex Ovechkin stated that he plans to live in Russia with his family and children after he finishes playing professional hockey in the NHL.
- ▪Alex Ovechkin defended his decision to appear in the United Russia campaign ad on September 17, 2026, stating he agreed because he is Russian and supports his country.
Capitals organizational response
- ▪Washington Capitals general manager Chris Patrick stated that Alex Ovechkin did not run the decision to participate in the United Russia campaign advertisement by the team beforehand.
- ▪Washington Capitals spokesperson Sergey Kocharov stated that Alex Ovechkin was asked by his country to participate in the video campaign during the summer while he was in Russia.
Ovechkin Putin relationship history
- ▪Alex Ovechkin has publicly supported Vladimir Putin for years, including founding the "Putin Team" public movement in 2017 and maintaining an Instagram profile picture featuring himself with the Russian president.
- ▪Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Alex Ovechkin called for peace but declined to criticize Vladimir Putin, stating that Putin is his president but he himself is an athlete, not a politician.
Debatable claims
- ▪The NHL should ban Alex Ovechkin for appearing in the United Russia campaign advertisement
- ▪Alex Ovechkin's appearance in the political advertisement constitutes support for Russia's war in Ukraine
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