DWTS Alum Maksim Chmerkovskiy Shares Gut-Wrenching Update From Ukraine

Maksim Chmerkovskiy is someone who is known for showing off his fancy footwork on the dance floor for ABC's hit competition show, "Dancing With The Stars," but he's also someone who very much tied back to his roots in his native Ukraine. The Latin-ballroom dance champion was born in Odesa, Ukraine, but has made a career for himself and has built a family with his partner and fellow "Dancing With The Stars" pro-dancer Peta Murgatroyd. He's also a judge for the Ukrainian version of "DWTS."

However, in 2018, Maksim said during an interview on "The Reel" that he was ready to take the next step in his life after deciding not to return to "DWTS," according to People. "I'm a dad, I'm a husband," he explained, adding, "your chemistry changes when you have a child, things look different, they seem different." If that weren't enough, he also joked, "I have a sibling that looks just like me, does the same stuff, and says similar things," referencing his younger brother Val Chmerkovskiy.

Seeing how close he is to his family at home, it's probably one of the many reasons he wishes he were back in the U.S. right now, instead of Kyiv, where an attack has been launched on the country of Ukraine by Russian President Vladimir Putin's military forces. Maksim's gut-wrenching update on social media has everyone concerned about his safety, and of course, those around him, too.

Maksim Chmerkovskiy posted a series of videos on his Instagram, filmed from Kyiv, detailing what's unfolded following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, per Page Six. The professional dancer, who emigrated to the United States with his family in 1994, admitted he "will never be the same," explaining, "This is stressful and I'm getting old feelings back, like I've done this before. 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." He added in his caption, "There's ALWAYS another way! WAR is NEVER an answer!," while reminding followers, "Hug your loved ones."

Maksim further explained he was being evacuated to a bomb shelter and that while he knows he can eventually go back home to the U.S. because of his American passport, those around him, including some friends, cannot. In another video he posted showing the view beneath his balcony, he said, "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 ... 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 s**t's going down."

Along with their thoughts and prayers, Maksim's social media followers have expressed their concerns for his safety, while also wishing him a safe way back home.