(NOTE LANGUAGE) Ukranian-born Dancing with the Stars pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy posted on Instagram a troubling report about the country, which is now being invaded by Russian forces.
Posting from the capital of Kyiv, Maks admitted, “This is definitely not the time where I would normally would be posting anything on social media.”
As sirens blared below, Chmerkovsky turned his camera to show trucks barreling down the streets. “That’s military, that’s [the] center of Kyiv.”
Wiping away tears, Maks said, “Obviously, I’m a little emotional…I wanna to go home…” noting his family — including fellow DWTS pro Peta Murgatroyd and their 5-year-old son, Shai — are “far away”; presumably in the U.S.
“I realize my friends have family here,” explaining that unfortunately they can’t leave like he can, because he has a dual passport.
“Dear Russians, I know you know me,” Maks says, “I know there are a lot of people in Russia watching this and hearing the propaganda…I’m not someone who is saying this from…a safe distance. I’m about to go into a bomb shelter,” he said, his voice quavering, “because sh**’s going down,.”
“I trust my sources and no one saw this coming,” Maks said before clarifying, “Not that no one saw this coming, but everyone was hoping that the finality of the situation would be averted.”
“I love Ukraine,” Maks said, getting further choked up, “and what it stands for. And it’s not what’s being portrayed to the Russian people in order to justify this situation.”
“This is all one man’s ambition,” he said of Russian President Vladimir Putin, urging his Russian fans to “get up” and have their voices heard against the invasion.
“However comfortable you are in Russia, I don’t think these…are the correct actions,” Chmerkovskiy said.
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