‘Dancing With the Stars’ Pro Maks Chmerkovskiy Plans to Return to Ukraine to ‘Join Efforts on the Ground’

Maksim Chmerkovskiy wants to return to help Ukraine amid Russia’s invasion. In a new interview with CNN, the Dancing With the Stars pro revealed he has “survivor’s remorse” since making his way back to the United States and wife Peta Murgatroyd Wednesday after fleeing his home country via Poland. 

“I spent the last couple of days with survivor’s remorse,” the professional dancer shared. “And I’m currently working on an opportunity to go back. Probably sometime next week I’m going to go back to Poland and joining efforts on the ground. Sort of want to justify my safe out that way.” Chmerkovskiy had been stuck in Ukraine for more than a week after Russia began its invasion, chronicling the turmoil on his Instagram throughout.

On Good Morning America following his return to the U.S., the performer, who shares 5-year-old son Shai with Murgatroyd, recalled the “horrible” experience of fleeing his home country on a train. “I realized after we took off… that all the people that didn’t get in have to now sleep right there in that train station. It’s not heated. It’s just a giant building. It’s cold. There are kids everywhere,” he said. “… I’m dying inside because this is still very emotional stuff for me. There are kids everywhere. Babies everywhere. It’s negative, the temperature.”

Chmerkovskiy admitted he’s ashamed of his privilege of being able to flee the situation. “I’m still very much in that fight or flight. I’m a big boy. I know for a fact I’m going through something mentally. I know for a fact because I get into these cry moments, I’m emotional. I can’t control it,” he said. “I cried on the way from the airport. I felt embarrassed. I felt embarrassed the entire ride back because I was the only man on the train amongst all women and children… I feel guilty. I feel bad. I feel ashamed. I feel upset.”

Murgatroyd, as her husband was trying to make his way home, pleaded with her social media followers for prayers. “Please pray for my husband Maks,” she wrote in part. “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.”