Support The Moscow Times!

Putin Rushes to Congratulate Russian Hockey Team With Victory Over U.S.

President Vladimir Putin has congratulated the Russian hockey team following their victory over the U.S. — a win that saw Russia lick its wounds after suffering a painful defeat against its hockey rival during the Sochi Olympics.

Monday's preliminary match in Belarus had the Russian team beat their U.S. opponents 6-1, marking the country's third straight victory at this year's ice hockey World Championships.

Putin, along with the team's unofficial curator, tycoon Arkady Rotenberg, phoned the locker room just five minutes after the game's end to congratulate the players, the Russian Hockey Federation said Tuesday on its website.

The match at the Minsk Arena took place as tensions between the U.S. and Russia remain high over the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, with the U.S. national team skating out to a chorus of boos in front of a largely pro-Russian crowd.

Since Russia annexed Crimea in March, the U.S. has levered economic and travel sanctions against several Russian companies and individuals, including Rotenberg, who is widely seen as having close ties to the Kremlin.

Nikolai Kulemin opened the scoring in Monday's game in Minsk, before captain Alexander Ovechkin converted a penalty to put Russia 2-0 up by the end of the first period.

Viktor Tikhonov grabbed a third for Russia just twenty seconds after the restart, before the U.S. pulled a goal back through Justin Abdelkader. Goals from Yevgeny Kuznetsov, Sergei Plotnikov and a second from Tikhonov completed the rout, and made it three wins in three for the Russian national team.

Following victory over the U.S., the Russian team sits atop group B and will take on Kazakhstan in its next game on Wednesday.


See also:

Putin Plays in Sochi Hockey Match

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more