Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin said Thursday that he supports Russia after appearing in a video promoting President Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party ahead of the country’s parliamentary elections.

“I’m Russian. I support my country.”

Ovechkin said when asked during Capitals media day why he appeared in the video. The video also featured Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Hockey Hall of Famer Viacheslav Fetisov.

Ovechkin said he plans to return to Russia with his family after his NHL career ends but considers Washington, DC, his second home. Ovechkin said:

I’m Russian. As soon as I’m done playing hockey, I’m probably going to stay there. I’m going to live there; my kids are going to live there, family. I’m for peace and love. I hope everything’s going to be okay. My home is Russia; D.C. is my second home. I have lots of friends; I grew up here as a person, and I love D.C.; I’d say it’s my second home. I hope everything’s going to be okay, and peace and love for everybody.

The Capitals said Ovechkin was approached about the video while spending the offseason in Russia.

“Alex Ovechkin is a Russian citizen who lives in Moscow with his family during the offseason and will live there following his retirement,” team spokesperson Sergey Kocharov said Tuesday in a statement sent to The Associated Press. “As the longest-tenured athlete in Washington, D.C., and a pillar of the community, his focus and ours is on the season ahead and the continued impact he makes on the ice and in our city.”

Ovechkin has publicly backed Putin in the past. His Instagram profile picture shows him with the Russian president, and he launched the “Putin Team” movement before Russia’s 2018 presidential election. At the time, he said, “I just support my country.”

After Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Ovechkin called for an end to the war.

“Please, no more war,” he said, adding that “we have to live in peace and a great world.”

When asked then about Putin, Ovechkin said, “He’s my president, but I’m not in politics. I’m an athlete.”

Ovechkin turned 41 on Thursday and is preparing for his 22nd NHL season. He signed a one-year contract with Washington in July but has not said whether he will continue playing beyond the 2026-27 season.

Ovechkin’s comments drew criticism online, with users questioning his claim that he supports peace.