Maksim Chmerkovskiy Shares Plan to Flee Ukraine After Arrest, Release

Former Dancing With the Stars professional dancer Maksim Chmerkovskiy uploaded a five minute video to his Instagram today from Ukraine. Since the first Russian attack on Ukraine, Chmerkovskiy has kept fans updated on his status. These updates have included videos of the capital of the country, as well as information about the shelters. Now, the dancer has shared that its time he try to leave the country following a brief arrest.

In his recent video, Chmerkovskiy shared that a few of his friends fled the country to Poland, while others have joined the fights. He notes that there’s a lot of fighting everywhere and streets are crazy. While sharing the craziness of the situation, the professional dancer shared that he was arrested and released in his native country during this time.

“That was probably the least traumatizing moment in this whole thing as far as Ukraine was concerned, but for me it was just the reality check,” Chmerkovskiy said. “No matter what it is and how it is it creates a reality check. There’s a lot to unpack and like I said I’m not in a mental state right now to do so, I’m just trying to stay focused.”

The Professional Dancer Will Go Dark on Social Media in Attempt to Cross The Border

On top of sharing his first person point of view, Chmerkovskiy stated that he is attempting to leave the country. The dancer expressed his ongoing fears about going toward the border. For those who may not know, Chmerkovskiy has spent the past six months in Ukraine and is currently filming the country’s new series World of Dance.

“I have options, my options are better than most peoples, unfortunately. I’m just a little nervous, just to be honest with you. I think it’s going to be alright, I know it’s going to be okay,” Chmerkovskiy said. “I’m going to keep you posted through this process if I can, I just want a favor from everybody, don’t panic if I disappear for a minute.”

He further explained that he has only been in contact with his wife and fellow DWTS alum Peta Murgatroyd, brother DWTS professional Valentin Chmerkovskiy, and his parents during this time. In the beginning of the five minute video, the dancer explained that one of his friends is currently attempting to go toward the border. Within his explanation he stated that they have been on the bus for over two days. It’s possible that Chmerkovskiy will have a similar timeline in his travels.