NHL superstar Alexander Ovechkin appears in campaign ad for Putin’s United Russia party

Washington Capitals star Alexander Ovechkin appeared in a campaign video for United Russia ahead of elections to the State Duma, the lower house of Russia’s parliament, set for September 18–20. The party released a series of television videos featuring the top five candidates on its federal list: each of them stands surrounded by like-minded supporters and, as the Russian business daily Kommersant put it, “explains what ideals they stand for.”