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NHL top star facing backlash after supporting Putin’s party in Russian elections

Washington Capitals captain Alexander Ovechkin faced widespread backlash after appearing in an election advertisement endorsing President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party, which featured Kremlin propagandists including Margarita Simonyan and Vladimir Mashkov.
Ovechkin told reporters on Thursday, "I support my country," adding he expects to retire to Russia once his NHL career ends; the hockey star has long campaigned for Putin.
Rep. Joe Wilson sent a letter to NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman calling the endorsement "incredibly alarming," while the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, representing roughly 1.3 million Canadians, called him "a disgusting supporter of Russia."
Latvia announced on Thursday that it banned Ovechkin from entering the country, while Capitals general manager Chris Patrick told ESPN the team was unaware of the filming, calling it "a difficult situation."
NHL Hall of Fame goaltender Dominik Hasek criticized Ovechkin's public stance, while Olga Saladukha of the Ukrainian Athletics Federation stated the video illustrates how sport and politics cannot be separated regarding Russian state propaganda.

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NHL’s Main Star Faces Criticism After Supporting Putin’s Party in the Russian Elections

The Russian hockey star of the NHL Alexander Ovechkin faces a wave of criticism after appearing in an election announcement by the United Russia party, President Vladimir Putin.

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