Hockey player Alexander Ovechkin, the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer, appeared in a United Russia campaign video. The party wanted to put him on its State Duma election list, but he “had no desire” to run

Hockey player Alexander Ovechkin, the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer, appeared in a United Russia campaign video. The party wanted to put him on its State Duma election list, but he “had no desire” to run

Ovechkin has long spoken out in support of Vladimir Putin and did not back away from that even after Russia’s troops invaded Ukraine in 2022, although he condemned the war itself.

At the same time, during the first “wartime” presidential election in 2024, the athlete did not campaign, but ahead of the first parliamentary elections in 2026, he has joined the campaign again. According to RBC, the Kremlin even considered Ovechkin as one of the potential leaders of United Russia’s list for the State Duma elections.

But, as Meduza found out, he has no desire to take part in the elections — though he did agree to appear in a campaign video.

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Hockey player Alexander Ovechkin, the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer, appeared in a United Russia campaign video

Hockey player Alexander Ovechkin appeared in a United Russia campaign video. Shortly before the State Duma elections, which will take place on September 18-20, the party released such television spots for the five leaders of its federal list: each of them stands among…