Ovechkin Defends Putin Party Ad: 'Not Pro-War' — SkimNews
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- Ovechkin told ESPN he accepted the Russian government's request to appear in the United Russia ad 'without hesitation,' was surprised by the backlash, and is 'not pro-war' — though he said he supports 'what's happening in Russia' and declined to say 'who's right and who's wrong' on the invasion
- Ovechkin filmed the ad three weeks before his ESPN interview without notifying the Washington Capitals; he had signed a one-year, $4.25 million contract on July 2, two months before the ad aired
- The ad features Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warning anyone who comes at Russia 'with a sword' to 'expect no mercy,' and Ovechkin appears in a group shot alongside Maria Lvova-Belova — a Russian official with an ICC arrest warrant for her role in the kidnapping and 're-education' of Ukrainian children
- Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) sent a letter to the NHL calling on the league to consider banning Ovechkin, writing that his participation raises 'serious questions about the standards expected of players'; the NHL declined to comment to ESPN and the Capitals declined to make owner Ted Leonsis available
- Capitals coach Spencer Carbery defended Ovechkin at the team's media day, saying criticism 'doesn't affect' Ovechkin's role as captain and that 'he's done an amazing job in my time here'
- Russian-born former Sport-Express reporter Slava Malamud dismissed the Kremlin-pressure defense as 'a cop-out,' saying Ovechkin appears proud of Putin and stands 'next to war criminals,' and that the ad came shortly after he signed his likely final contract
- Ovechkin has a documented pattern of pro-Putin gestures, including launching the 'Putin Team' campaign in 2017 and posting a 2014 Instagram photo reading '#SAVE CHILDREN FROM FASCISM' that echoed Kremlin framing of the initial invasion of eastern Ukraine
Why it matters: The NHL and Capitals have refused to publicly engage with ESPN's questions, leaving the league without a stated position while a sitting congressman demands Ovechkin's ban. Ovechkin — who in April 2025 eclipsed Wayne Gretzky's all-time goals record — appearing alongside an ICC-wanted official for kidnapping Ukrainian children gives the Kremlin a propaganda win aimed at rebuilding Russia's soft power after its banishment from the world cultural stage.
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