'DWTS' Maksim Chmerkovskiy says Ukrainian citizens are 'being mobilized,' 'whole country' to go to war
According to Chmerkovskiy, men, women and boys are being recruited to defend Ukraine against Russia
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Ukranian-born "Dancing with the Stars" pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy updated his social media followers Friday on the conditions in Ukraine as the Russian invasion continues.
"I'm out here, again, I'm safe," he said in the video clip. "We haven't been told to move, and I'm just following instructions. That's all I can say. But the reality is that I'm also talking to my friends that are here, the Ukrainians, and the situation is pretty dire.
"People are being mobilized," Chmerkovskiy added. "The whole country is being called to go to war. Men, women, boys ... are going forward and getting guns and getting deployed to defend the country."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The choreographer's Friday update followed multiple posts from Thursday, when he revealed he was in Ukraine during the invasion.
RUSSIA INVADES UKRAINE: LIVE UPDATES
Maksim Chmerkovskiy shared more updates about the conditions in Ukraine as Russia continues to invade the country.
Chmerkovskiy shared a glimpse of the scene unfolding in the heart of Kyiv, where parents could be seen walking with their children with bags and suitcases, desperate to flee.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Russia launched an attack on Ukraine, including Kyiv, this week that Russia described as a "special military operation," killing dozens.
"I'm in Kyiv, contrary to what I probably should have done a while ago, but again everybody has sources and resources and I have mine and I trust my sources and no one saw this coming," he said in the video.
"Not that no one saw this coming, but everyone was hoping that the finality of this situation would be averted, that there's not going to be this kind of aggression."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Chmerkovskiy described the scene from Ukraine Thursday as Russia attacked the country. (Michael Tran/FilmMagic)
Chmerkovskiy's wife and fellow "Dancing with the Stars" pro Peta Murgatroyd pleaded for his safe return on social media Thursday night.
"Please pray for my husband Maks. I don't usually ask these things from my social media network, however today is extremely hard and the next few will be even harder," she wrote on Instagram.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Many of you are asking for details and I don't have the answers, but yes, he is safe right now. Please pray that he comes home soon. Please pray that he has a swift, safe exit," the 35-year-old wrote. "I have FAITH. I have HOPE and I have PRAYED so hard."
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Chmerkovskiy's wife Peta Murgatroyd pleaded for his safe return from Ukraine and asked for prayers on social media as Russia's invasion continues. (Rodin Eckenroth)
Invading Russian forces closed in on Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv Friday in an apparent encircling movement after a barrage of airstrikes on cities and military bases around the country. President Volodymyr Zelensky released a video of him and his senior aides outside the presidential office in Kyiv to reassure Ukrainians that he and other top officials would stay in the capital.
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The invasion, anticipated for weeks, amounts to Europe’s largest ground conflict since World War II. It could also portend the emergence of a new "Iron Curtain" between the West and Russia with global repercussions.
Fox News' Melissa Roberto and the Associated press contributed to this report.