{
  "id": 7585123,
  "title": "Alex Ovechkin faces backlash over pro-Putin political campaign ad",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/alex-ovechkin-faces-backlash-over-pro-putin-political-campaign-ad",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-15T16:15:33.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/alex-ovechkin-faces-backlash-over-161533045.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "NHL star Alex Ovechkin is facing criticism for his endorsement of Russian President Vladimir Putin in a political campaign ad for the United Russia Party. The ad, which surfaced as the 2026-27 season kicked off, shows Ovechkin standing behind Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, a key Putin ally and leading candidate for the party. Ovechkin is not the only celebrity featured in the commercial; Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of state-controlled RT, and former NHLer Viacheslav Fetisov are also present. Social media backlash has been intense, with figures like Dominik Hasek, Jose Andres, and Sidney Crosby condemning Ovechkin's involvement. Hasek argued that all individuals in the photo endorse Russia's \"imperialist war\" in Ukraine, while Andres described the act as a \"sad day for my beloved DC team.\" Ovechkin's support for Putin is not new; he has been an advocate for the Russian leader since 2017 and expressed hope for an end to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine in 2022. However, he maintained his public backing of Putin in a 2022 interview, calling it a \"hard situation\" for both sides. Despite facing sanction and criticism, Ovechkin recently signed a new one-year contract with the Washington Capitals, earning a $1 million salary, a $4.75 million games-played bonus, and a $3.25 million signing bonus.",
  "summary": "NHL star Alex Ovechkin is facing criticism after appearing in a political ad to support one of \"the architects of Russia's war against Ukraine.\"",
  "key_points": [
    "Alex Ovechkin criticized for endorsing Putin in Russian political ad",
    "Ovechkin not alone; Simonyan and Fetisov featured in controversial commercial",
    "Celebrity backlash intensifies over Ovechkin's pro-Putin stance"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Hill",
        "title": "NHL star Ovechkin appears in campaign video for Putin's party",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/nhl-star-ovechkin-appears-in-campaign-video-for-putins-party",
        "published": "2026-09-15T16:36:19.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "Capitals say Alex Ovechkin was asked to film United Russia ad while home this summer",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/capitals-say-alex-ovechkin-was-asked-to-film-united-russia-ad-while",
        "published": "2026-09-15T17:50:45.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}