- Russian-born Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin spoke out on his home country's invasion of Ukraine, pleading for "no more war."
- Ovechkin stopped short of rebuking Russian President Vladimir Putin, who he has openly supported in the past.
- "He's my president, but how I said, I am not in politics, I am an athlete," Ovechkin told reporters on Friday.
Russian-born Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin on Friday spoke out on his home country's invasion of Ukraine — pleading for "no more war," but stopping short of rebuking Russian President Vladimir Putin who he has openly supported in the past.
Ovechkin, 36, called Russia's attack on Ukraine "a hard situation" following practice in Philadelphia.
"I have lots of friends in Russia and Ukraine and it's hard to see the war. I hope soon it's going to be over and there's going to be peace in the whole world," Ovechkin, whose Instagram profile picture is of him with Putin, told reporters. "You know, it's a hard situation right now for both sides."
—Washington Capitals (@Capitals) February 25, 2022
The NHL player added, "Please, no more war. It doesn't matter who is in the war — Russia, Ukraine, different countries — I think we live in a world, like, we have to live in peace and a great world."
"I have family back in Russia. It's scary moments, but we can't do anything we just hope it's going to be ended soon and everything is going to be alright," Ovechkin said, explaining, "I don't wanna see nobody get hurt, nobody get killed."
When asked whether he still supported Putin — who ordered the assault on Ukraine — Ovechkin said, "He's my president, but how I said, I am not in politics, I am an athlete."
"You know, I hope everything is going to be done soon," he added.
In 2017, Ovechkin supported Putin's bid for reelection, saying he has "always supported him openly," The Associated Press reported.
New York Rangers star Artemi Panarin is one of the few Russian-born athletes who have publicly spoken out against Putin.
And last year Panarin, 30, took a temporary leave of absence from the team following baseless allegations that he assaulted a woman in Russia in 2011. He vigorously denied the accusations that the Rangers called "unfounded."
The Rangers at the time defended Panarin, saying in a statement: "This is clearly an intimidation tactic being used against him for being outspoken on recent political events."