Vladimir Putin releases statement on Alex Ovechkin's new record.

Over the weekend Alex Ovechkin did what many once believed to be impossible when he surpassed one of the records established by the legendary Wayne Gretzky, surpassing Gretzky's all-time goal record in the National Hockey League.

It was an incredible moment for Ovechkin, his family, his fans, the Washington Capitals and of course the NHL itself, but unfortunately it was a moment that was not free of controversy. Leading up to the historic moment many were critical of both Ovechkin and the NHL itself for celebrating Ovechkin at all due to the geopolitical implications of celebrating a Russian hockey player at a time when his country is at war with Ukraine.

Legendary NHL goaltender Dominik Hasek has been perhaps the most extreme example of this, openly stating that both the NHL and Ovechkin have blood on their hands for celebrating a player with ties to Russian president Vladimir Putin as the war rages on.

Unfortunately for both Ovechkin and the NHL that controversy has now reached a fever pitch with Russian president Vladimir Putin releasing an official statement celebrating Ovechkin's accomplishment. The message, published on the Kremlin's official website, describes Ovechkin's achievement as not only a great accomplishment for the man himself, but also for Russian hockey fans and hockey fans around the world.

For the sake of preserving the message, here it is unedited and in full as translated by the Kremlin:

“I would like to congratulate you on this impressive achievement. You have surpassed the hockey legends in the number of goals scored in regular-season games of the National Hockey League.

Your remarkable career has been marked by victories in both international and national tournaments, as well as many other outstanding and unique accomplishments that have shaped the history of the Russian hockey school. This new achievement is undoubtedly not only a personal triumph, but also a truly joyous day for fans both in Russia and around the world.

Once again, my sincere congratulations on this momentous occasion. I wish you good health, continued success, and may the competitive spirit to achieve new heights in both life and sport remain with you.”

I am afraid that this will only give those critical of Ovechkin's ties to Russian president Vladimir Putin more ammunition to use against him, and could very well taint how many view his incredible accomplishment from this weekend.