Peta Murgatroyd Asks for Prayers for Husband Maksim Chmerkovskiy Amid Russia's Invasion of Ukraine

As Maksim Chmerkovskiy remains in Ukraine, his wife and fellow pro dancer Peta Murgatroyd issued a plea on social media. "My pain is overwhelming,” she wrote in part, “and I’m struggling.”

By Elyse Dupre Feb 25, 2022 1:59 PMTags
Watch: Maksim Chmerkovskiy’s EMOTIONAL Message From Ukraine

Peta Murgatroyd is making a heartfelt plea to her followers. 

As Maksim Chmerkovskiy shares updates from Ukraine amid Russia's invasion, his wife and fellow Dancing With the Stars pro is sharing a message from the United States.

"Please pray for my husband Maks," she wrote in a note shared to Instagram Thursday, Feb. 24. "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. My pain is overwhelming and I'm struggling, but you sending your positive light and love to him would mean the world to me. Truly, I wish for nothing more."

Chmerkovskiy, who immigrated to the United States from Ukraine with his family in the 1990s, had recently returned to the Eastern European country to film the Ukrainian World of Dance series, on which he serves as a judge.

While Murgatroyd noted she didn't "have the answers" to many of fans' questions, she could confirm that Chmerkovskiy "is safe right now."

"Please pray that he comes home soon," she continued. "Please pray that he has a swift, safe exit. I have FAITH. I have HOPE and I have PRAYED so hard."

photos
Hollywood Gets Political

She also asked them to keep the people of Ukraine in their thoughts. "Please pray for Ukraine and the innocent civilians who's lives are being greatly uprooted," Murgatroyd added. "I grew to love this country the couple times I visited and they're in an unfathomable situation." 

Alongside the note, she added, "Thank you for your love and prayers @maksimc."

David Livingston/Getty Images

That same day, Chmerkovskiy posted videos from Ukraine's capital Kyiv. "There's ALWAYS another way!" he captioned the footage, in which sirens could be heard in the background. "WAR is NEVER an answer! #standwithukraine."

Chmerkovskiy also noted the he "will never be the same" after this crisis. "This is stressful and I'm getting old feelings back, like I've done this before," he continued in part of the post. "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."

In an update shared to Instagram on Feb. 25, Chmerkovskiy confirmed that he's safe and that he was going to a bomb shelter.

"I'm safe right now," he captioned one video. "Pray for Ukraine."

For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App