Alexander Ovechkin throws support behind President — Putin, that is

Capitals captain Alexander Ovechkin, long a supporter of Vladimir Putin, says he has created a "social movement" backing the Russian president.

Ovechkin, a Russian citizen, announced the "Putin Team" Thursday on Instagram as relations between his native country and the U.S. are a tense as they've been since the Cold War.

A photo of Ovechkin and Putin, posted Thursday afternoon, carried a lengthy caption that The Washington Post translated:

“Personal achievements and medals — all of this (is) great, but in hockey, like with everything, to win it’s important to have a team. Only a team is capable of changing the course of a game, achieve the impossible. Lately, in the Western Press, I’m noticing a comparison to Putin’s team. And you know, I really liked that comparison. Personally, I’m ready to be a member of that team. I never hid my relationship with our president, always openly supported him.

“I’m certain that there are many of us that support Vladimir Putin. Let’s unite and show everyone a strong and united Russia. Today, I want to announce a social movement in the name of Putin Team. Be a part of this team — to me it’s a privilege, it’s like the feeling of when you put on the jersey of the Russian team, knowing that the whole country is rooting for you.”

Folllowing Washington's 4-3 win Thursday over the Islanders, Ovechkin, 32, was asked about his post that by Friday morning had garnered more than 75,000 likes.

“I just support my country, you know?” Ovechkin said, via The Post. “That’s where I’m from, my parents live there, all my friends. Like every human from different countries, they support their president.”

Oveckin then explained that the post and movement don't necessarily translate into support of Putin's politics, some of which have resulted in U.S. sanctions.

“I don’t try to be politics man or someone like that,” he said. “I just support my president and just support my country because I’m from there, and you know, if people from U.S. came to Russia, they care about what happening in U.S. So, I care about what happening in Russia because that’s my home and that’s where I’m from.”

Putin is expected to run for a new six-year term when Russia holds a presidential election in March. Under his leadership, relations between Russia and the United States have grown increasingly tense, particularly over U.S. investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

According to the Russian news agency TASS, Putin wasn't yet aware of the social-media post, but Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov later told The Associated Press: "We obviously welcome in general (Ovechkin's) desire to express support for our president, especially from abroad," adding that the Ovechkin is "a very famous Russian, a very successful Russian, and we really know that he values our president highly."