Alex Ovechkin defends pro-Putin video appearance and says he is not in politics
Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin addressed his participation in a political advertisement for Vladimir Putin's party on Thursday.
Ovechkin explains his decision to film
The player stated he accepted the government request without hesitation and filmed the ad three weeks ago. He told reporters that he supports what is happening in Russia but reiterated that he is not pro-war. Ovechkin said he was surprised by the backlash following the release of the video.
Team statement on citizenship status
The Capitals released a statement describing Ovechkin as a Russian citizen who lives in Moscow with his family during the offseason. The team noted he was asked by his country to participate in the campaign while residing there this summer.
Video features foreign minister Lavrov
The advertisement includes appearances by Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, and Margarita Simonyan from state media outlet RT. Ovechkin appeared alongside these figures to deliver a message aligned with the government's position on the conflict.
All 2 outlets report consistently
No differences in figures, names or dates across these reports.
- ESPN
- The Guardian
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2 independent outlets. Headlines as published. Links open the original report.