Valuev Defends Ovechkin Over Campaign Video Backlash
State Duma deputy Nikolai Valuev dismissed Western criticism of Capitals star Alexander Ovechkin for appearing in a United Russia election ad, calling him free to state his views.
Nikolai Valuev, a State Duma deputy, has rejected criticism of Washington forward Alexander Ovechkin over his appearance in a United Russia campaign video.
Several Western politicians and journalists had criticised the player for taking part in the video ahead of the party's election campaign.
"Who are they to criticise a Russian citizen at all? Alexander is a Russian who is free to express his position on the processes taking place in his home country," Valuev said.
About this article
Prepared by the editorial team with the help of algorithms, based on the sources listed