Ovechkin appears in video supporting United Russia ahead of elections in Russia
Russian hockey player Alexander Ovechkin took part in a video supporting the United Russia party ahead of parliamentary elections in Russia, an aggressor state. Voting is scheduled for September 18–20. Ovechkin will not vote in person, as he has already returned to the United States and is preparing for the new NHL season with the Washington Capitals, Deutsche Welle English reports.
In the video, which was widely circulated on social media, Ovechkin does not speak. He stands in the third row of a group of supporters behind Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who heads United Russia’s list in the parliamentary elections.
Support for Putin
Ovechkin had previously publicly demonstrated support for Russian President Vladimir Putin. The hockey player’s Instagram profile picture is a photo of him together with Putin.
In 2017, the athlete announced on Instagram the creation of the PutinTeam group to support Putin during the 2018 presidential campaign. At the time, Ovechkin wrote that he openly supported the Russian president and called on Putin’s supporters to unite.
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In 2014, after Russia began the temporary occupation of Crimea, which is part of Ukraine, Ovechkin posted a photo with a sign reading #savechildrenfromfascism. In the post, he stated that his grandparents had seen the horrors of fascism and that this must not be allowed in modern times.
Statement after the invasion
On February 25, 2022, the day after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Ovechkin, in response to a question about Putin, said that Putin was his president. He also noted that he was not involved in politics but was an athlete.
The hockey player called for the war to end but did not criticize Moscow’s military actions. In the United States, Ovechkin began preparations for his 22nd NHL season. In July, he decided to spend another year in Washington after speaking with his wife.
