Alex Ovechkin faces backlash over pro-Putin political campaign ad - USA Today
NHL superstar Alex Ovechkin is facing renewed backlash for his support of Vladimir Putin after appearing in a political campaign ad for the United Russia Party that supports the Russian President ahead of the start to the 2026-27 season.
Multiple Russian news outlets have published images and video of the commercial showing Ovechkin standing behind Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, a prominent figure in Putin's Kremlin and the leading parliamentary candidate for the United Russia Party. Margarita Simonyan, the editor-in-chief of state-controlled broadcaster RT, as well as former NHL player Viacheslav Fetisov, actor Vladimir Mashkov and singer Tatyana Kurtukova, were also identified among the celebrities with Lavrov in reports.
Ovechkin's presence has drawn widespread criticism on social media, including from one of the NHL's greatest goaltenders and one of the Washington Capitals' most famous fans.
Six-time Vezina Trophy winner Dominik Hasek, born in Czechia, quickly blasted Ovechkin's decision to appear in the political campaign ad supporting Lavrov and the United Russia Party.
"Everyone in this photograph has chosen to officially support Russia's imperialist war in Ukraine. Among them are also hockey player Ovechkin and former hockey player and national team captain Fetisov. Because of each of them, many Ukrainians and Russians will be killed," Hasek wrote.
D.C. celebrity restauranteur and Capitals fan Jose Andres also condemned Ovechkin's participation in the ad in a social media post, calling it a "sad day for my beloved DC team!!"
The Washington-based chef has helped serve more than 300 million meals in Ukraine since the Russian invasion began through his World Central Kitchen non-profit organization and he recently received the "National Legend of Ukraine" from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Ovechkin, hockey's all-time leading goal scorer, has been a longtime supporter of Putin despite it generating controversy in the United States, particularly once Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. Ovechkin started a social movement in 2017 supporting Putin ahead of the upcoming Russian presidential election, and a picture of the two of them was on the winger's Instagram account.
Ovechkin told reporters, when asked about the war between Russia and Ukraine, "I hope soon it's going to be over and there's going to be peace in the whole world." But he continued to back Putin publicly.
"Heβs my president but β¦ Iβm not in politics," Ovechkin said in 2022. "Iβm an athlete and how I said, I hope everything is going to be done soon. Itβs a hard situation right now for both sides. β¦ I'm not in control of the situation."
The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Lavrov in 2022 and named him as one of "the architects of Russia's war against Ukraine." He has served as Russia's foreign minister since 2004 and was previously Russia's ambassador to the United Nations.
Ovechkin, who will turn 41 this week, signed a one-year contract in July to return to the Capitals. He will earn $1 million in salary, a $4.75 million games-played bonus (10 games) and a $3.25 million signing bonus. Ovechkinβs contract will carry an average annual value of $4.25 million. He returned to the United States recently and made an appearance at the Capitals' practice facility on Monday, Sept. 15.
Ovechkin holds the NHL record with 929 goals. He had passed Wayne Gretzky's 894 goal mark in the 2024-25 season and hit 900 goals in 2025-26.
Ovechkin finished with 32 goals last season and will join Sidney Crosby, Gordie Howe, Alex Delvecchio, Stan Mikita and Steve Yzerman as the only players in NHL history to play 22 seasons with one franchise.
