Alex Ovechkin, all-time NHL goal scorer, appears in ad supporting Vladimir Putin, tell me about this news in (https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/alex-ovechkin-time-nhl-goal-scorer-appears-ad-supporting-vladimir-puti-rcna598173)

Here is an overview of the news regarding Alex Ovechkin’s appearance in the political advertisement:

• The Ad and Appearance: Washington Capitals captain and NHL all-time scoring leader Alex Ovechkin appeared in a promotional video campaign for Vladimir Putin’s political party, United Russia. In the clip, Ovechkin is seen alongside figures such as Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and former NHL player Viacheslav “Slava” Fetisov.

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• Washington Capitals’ Response: The Capitals issued a statement confirming that Ovechkin participated in the campaign during the offseason while home in Moscow. Team spokesperson Sergey Kocharov noted that Ovechkin is a Russian citizen who spends his offseasons and plans to retire there, stating that he was asked by his home country to participate. The organization added that both the team and Ovechkin remain focused on the upcoming hockey season and his continued presence on the ice and in the Washington, D.C., community.

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• NHL’s Position: When approached for comment regarding the situation, the NHL deferred directly to the Washington Capitals.

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• Reactions and Backlash: The appearance sparked immediate criticism across the hockey community. Notably, Hall of Fame goaltender Dominik Hašek condemned the participation of Russian athletes in such campaigns, describing it as overt endorsement and support of Russia’s ongoing military actions in Ukraine.

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• Background: Ovechkin has a well-documented history of supporting Vladimir Putin, notably founding the public movement “Putin Team” in 2017 to rally backing for the Russian president. Following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Ovechkin made brief public remarks urging for “no more war” and referred to himself as an athlete rather than a politician, though he maintained that Putin was his president.

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