Washington Capitals superstar and captain Alex Ovechkin has appeared in a campaign advertisement for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party ahead of the country’s parliamentary elections.
Ovechkin, a Moscow native and Russian citizen, appeared alongside several prominent pro-Kremlin figures in campaign videos published by the Russian business newspaper Vedomosti. Among those featured with Ovechkin are Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who has been sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department for his role in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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The video featuring Ovechkin centers on Lavrov, who speaks about Russia’s diplomatic traditions while standing alongside his supporters.
“It so happens that my entire professional life has been tied to diplomacy,” Lavrov said in the video, translated from Russian. “Moscow is true to the centuries-old traditions of our state. It has always been this way, and it will remain so. When we are treated fairly, we will always reach an agreement.”
Ovechkin has a long history of supporting Putin. In 2017, he launched the “Putin Team” social movement, saying it would bring together “people who are proud of their country and want to make Russia stronger.” He also previously praised Putin’s “trust in and respect for his people,” his fairness, and his concern for the Russian people.
But Ovechkin softened his public support for Putin following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. He said he hoped the war would end and that people would “be living in a good world.”
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The appearance comes as Ovechkin prepares for his 22nd NHL season with the Capitals. He signed a one-year contract with Washington in July worth $1 million in salary, a $3.25 million signing bonus, and up to $4.75 million in performance bonuses.
Ovechkin, 40, is the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer. He surpassed Wayne Gretzky’s previous record of 894 goals in April 2025 and currently has 929 career goals.
