Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin stated he supports his country after appearing in a campaign ad for Russia's United Russia party. The ad, released ahead of parliamentary elections, also featured Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Ovechkin expressed his hope for peace and his intention to live in Russia after his hockey career.
Alex Ovechkin's participation in a campaign ad for Russia's ruling party, which supports the war in Ukraine, has drawn international condemnation and led to a travel ban from Latvia, highlighting the geopolitical pressures faced by prominent Russian figures.
Russian hockey player Alexander Ovechkin, a long-time member of the Washington Capitals, defended his appearance in a campaign advertisement for Russia's ruling United Russia party. Ovechkin stated on September 17 that his participation was a matter of national support, saying, "I'm Russian, and I support my country. So, as I said, I'm for peace and love." He expressed hope for global peace and indicated his intention to live in Russia after his hockey career concludes.
The campaign video, released ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for September 18, featured Ovechkin alongside prominent Kremlin figures, including Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The United Russia party, which is effectively led by President Vladimir Putin, has supported the ongoing war against Ukraine.
Ovechkin's involvement drew criticism, notably from Republican Representative Joe Wilson. In a letter to NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and a post on X on September 15 and 16 respectively, Wilson condemned the player's participation, highlighting that the ad also included Maria Lvova-Belova, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children.
Further repercussions came on September 17, when Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze announced that Ovechkin, along with Russian oligarch Umar Kremlev, had been declared persona non grata and banned indefinitely from entering Latvia.