That’s just one message that Maksim Chmerkovskiy posted on his instagram from Kyiv, Ukraine. The 15-season Dancing with the Stars alum posted several videos from his homeland following the invasion by Russian forces. Chmerkovskiy and his younger brother Valentin, who’s a current Dancing with the Stars, were born in Odessa, Ukraine and immigrated to Brooklyn in 1994. In several emotional videos he reflected on how he was feeling. “Everyone was hoping that the finality of this situation would be averted,” shared Chmerkovskiy. “That there’s not going to be this kind of aggression…this kind of aggressive measure.” As he spoke sirens could be heard in the background. “What I’m realizing is that my friends whose kids are here, whose moms, dads are here, and elderly people are here, they can’t just escape,” said Chmerkovskiy, who is married to current Dancing with the Stars pro Peta Murgatroyd and they share a 5-year-old son, Shai. “I am not at this point someone who is pleading for someone else’s safety from a far distance, from a safe distance. I’m somebody who’s about to go into a bomb shelter because sh#@’s going down….In 2022, in a civilized world, this is not the way we do things.”
Why is Maksim Chmerkovskiy in Ukraine
On Feb. 2, Chmerkovskiy posted a video getting on a plane in Los Angeles going to the Ukraine. He has been working on the series World of Dance UA. He shared how he recently had the opportunity to spend six months there. “I know now who this country is…and it’s completely not what is being portrayed to justify this invasion.” In this most recent Instagram post Chmerkovskiy wrote the caption, “There’s ALWAYS another way! WAR is NEVER an answer.” Next, Get to Know Maks’ Brother Val and His Sweet Dancing with the Stars Pro Wife View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Maksim Chmerkovskiy (@maksimc)
