Artem Chigvintsev Defends Delayed Public Reaction To The War In Ukraine

Since Russia's invasion into Ukraine on February 24, politicians, public figures, and celebrities from around the world have spoken out on Russian President Vladimir Putin's war. Miley Cyrus tweeted that she was "heartbroken" about the invasion and is "standing in solidarity with everyone in Ukraine," while Hayden Panettiere — who welcomed a daughter with Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko in 2014 — wrote on Instagram, "I'm praying for my family and friends there and everyone who's fighting." Meanwhile, "Dancing With the Stars" pro Maks Chmerkovskiy documented his escape from Ukraine on Instagram, and later announced his plan to return to Europe to "join efforts on the ground." However, some celebrities also faced flack for their posts or for not reacting to the conflict at all.

Artem Chigvintsev, who is Russian, has faced backlash for his public silence on the war in Ukraine. Now, after for two weeks, Chigvintsev has finally spoken out about Ukraine and defended himself against critics.

Artem Chigvintsev took to his Instagram Story on March 9 to condemn the war in Ukraine, saying he has struggled to process his feelings. "This hasn't been easy to write and really gather my thoughts on the devastating situation that's been happening right now in Ukraine," he wrote (via Hollywood Life). "I want to make very clear to everyone that I don't support war of any kind. It's devastating to see people die and suffer the costs." Artem went on to say that he has "friends and family on both sides," noting the situation is "effecting" him. "Please don't assume that I'm ignorant about it," he added, promising he is doing his "best to support and donate to the organization that helping right now."

Chigvintsev then defended himself, saying, "Just because People don't post about it doesn't mean they don't care there are many ways you can help." He added, "I also want to add that no one owes an explanation to anyone, about how they process and how they deal with it." Chigvintsev concluded his message saying that the war's impact on his family is "very real."

While Chigvintsev is doing is best to support his family in these difficult times, he is also currently in the process of planning his wedding to Nikki Bella. The two got engaged after falling in love on "Dancing With the Stars" in 2017, and welcomed son Matteo in June 2020, per Us Weekly. And on top of that, he has been dealing with health struggles, having fallen ill on the "DWTS Live Tour" in January.