DWTS’ Maksim Chmerkovskiy plans to leave Ukraine after getting arrested following Russian invasion
US Dancing with the Stars professional Maksim Chmerkovskiy reveals he got arrested in Ukraine and is now trying to flee the country after Russian invasion: ‘It was a reality check’
Father-of-one DWTS US pro was in his native Ukraine working as a judge on their Dancing With The Stars show Chmerkovskiy has provided his Instagram followers with regular updates from Ukraine since the Russian invasionOn Monday morning, he posted a video revealing he’d been arrested but said it was the ‘least traumatizing moment in this whole thing as far as Ukraine is concerned’ He said he’ll be disappearing from social media while he attempts to flee
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Maksim Chmerkovskiy has revealed he was arrested while in Kyiv, Ukraine and is going to try and make his way out amid the Russian military assault on the country.
The Dancing With The Stars pro said it was a ‘reality check’ getting arrested but called it the ‘least traumatizing moment in this whole thing as far as Ukraine is concerned.’
The father-of-one, 42, spoke to his followers in the Monday morning Instagram video, revealing that he was leaving the country and felt ‘a little nervous’ but he he thinks ‘it’s going to be okay.’
Maksim was in his native country working on Dancing With The Stars Ukraine as a judge.
The latest: Maksim Chmerkovskiy revealed he was arrested while in Kyiv, Ukraine and is going to try and make his way out amid the Russian military assault on the country. The Dancing With The Stars pro said it was a ‘reality check’ getting arrested but called it the ‘least traumatizing moment in this whole thing as far as Ukraine is concerned
‘The streets are crazy,’ he said. ‘At one point I got arrested but again all good, promise. That was probably the least traumatizing moment in this whole thing as far as Ukraine is concerned, but for me, it was just a reality check.’
The Ukrainian-born star said he will be disappearing from social media ‘for a while’ as he makes his way out of the country, only speaking to his wife Pete Murgatroyd, his parents and his brother Val Chmerkovskiy, 35.
‘I’m going to try and make my way out. I’m going to start making my way towards the border. I have options.’
Adding: ‘Just a little nervous but I think it’s going to be alright. I know it’s going to be okay.
From the heart: Maksim was in his native country working on Dancing With The Stars Ukraine as a judge
He said to his followers and distant family not to panic because he’s going to disappear for a little bit as he makes his way out of the country.
Maksim posted graphic videos to his stories and grid throughout Ukraine, as the star says he’s tried and stressed out after seeing innocent people being killed.
He said on Sunday: ‘I’m in a very safe place but this is nuts and I think everybody is going through a lot of emotions and i think it’s time I expose mine in a more personal manner.
‘This is a war. This is a crazy situation. It’s insane and I’m losing my final little things. This is not a cry for help. I’m a big boy. I can handle myself.. but I’m starting to not be able to just sort of keep my head.’
‘The reality is, I just want to go home. I’m just hoping for a safe ending to it all.’
His wife Peta, 35, took to Instagram on Sunday with an emotional message in which she shared that an empathetic group of strangers had made a kind gesture to her amid the absence of Maksim.
‘Although I’m going through hell right now and I want it all to end…[there] is light that shines through the darkness,’ said Murgatroyd, who is mother to five-year-old son Shai with Chmerkovskiy, who she wed in July of 2017.
Murgatroyd, an alum of Dancing With the Stars, remains at the family’s home in California amid the uncertain time. She said that strangers baked her cookies ‘and proudly brought them to [her] door.
‘They stood there with smiles so wide. Let me repeat … strangers, whom I don’t talk to thought that they should get in their kitchen and bake me cookies,’ she said. ‘They also took it upon themselves to google if I was allergic to anything, just to make sure they weren’t hurting me.’
Strength: His wife Peta, 35, took to Instagram on Sunday with an emotional message in which she shared that an empathetic group of strangers had made a kind gesture to her amid the absence of Maks
Chmerkovskiy has also provided frequent social media updates amid the conflict, as he said Thursday he had not attempted to leave the country due to safety concerns around the border of Poland. The professional dancer said he felt his odds for departure from the Ukraine were helped in having an American passport.
Amid the Russian invasion, Ukrainian officials have mandated men between the ages of 18 and 60 to remain in the country if they are needed for battle, and have restricted them from crossing borders into other countries, Reuters reported.
Chmerkovskiy added that the conflict had taken an emotional toll on him, as he said he ‘will never be the same’ in the wake of the invasion.
‘This is stressful and I’m getting old feelings back, like I’ve done this before,’ he said Thursday. ‘This does feel like the way it was when and why we left in the 90s. Like my old PTSD I’ve finally fixed is coming back.’
Courage: ‘Although I’m going through hell right now and I want it all to end…[there] is light that shines through the darkness,’ said Murgatroyd, who is mother to five-year-old son Shai with Chmerkovskiy, who she wed in July of 2017
On Sunday, Chmerkovskiy took to Instagram Stories with a number of messages, urging people in the dance community in European countries to help take care of refugees if they were able to. He shared a number of links to resources to help people exit safely amid the ongoing military conflict.
Chmerkovskiy also wrote, ‘Russia needs a revolution!!! Russian people are being lied to!!! Russians! Wake up! It will take you generations to get over this and generations of people around the world will never forgive you!!!’
On Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered to put nuclear weapons on enhanced alert for ‘special regime of combat duty’ amid heightened tensions with Europe and the United States following the invasion.
Putin cited aggression toward Russia from NATO as well as economic sanctions and moves shutting down Russian banking institutions using the banking system SWIFT.
The U.N. Security Council is slated to hold an emergency meeting regarding the invasion Monday.
Emotional toll: ‘This is stressful and I’m getting old feelings back, like I’ve done this before,’ he said Thursday. ‘This does feel like the way it was when and why we left in the 90s. Like my old PTSD I’ve finally fixed is coming back’
