Val Chmerkovskiy & Wife Jenna Johnson Speak Out About His Home Country Ukraine

Val Chmerkovskiy is speaking out about the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

If you didn’t know, the 35-year-old Dancing With The Stars pro is originally from the country, and his older brother Maks is currently there.

Val took to his Instagram to share a message of what he would’ve been doing if his family hadn’t left when he was a child.

See what he wrote inside…

“My parents fled this country for this exact reason. Not because it wasn’t good to them, but because their kids would see war eventually. It’s a cruel irony that 28 years later my brother is in a bombshelter in Kiev,” Val wrote.

“If they hadn’t left I would be on the front lines defending my home right now. And the most heartbreaking thing of all I would be either killing or dying at the hands of my fellow brothers,” he continued.

“The Russian people don’t want this!! We stood by each other’s side. We loved and celebrated one another. I speak Russian yes but make no mistake about it, I am a proud Ukrainian and now the world will finally know the difference,” Val said. “Slava Ukraini all day every day! And to all my Russian friends this might be the best and only time to stand up to your dictator.”

Val‘s wife and fellow DWTS pro Jenna Johnson also shared his post on her story, as well as her sister-in-law Peta Murgatroyd‘s post.

Jenna also asked for prayers for Maksim, who is currently in Ukraine.

“Please pray for my brother-in-law who is stuck in Ukraine. The whole situation is devastating and truly heart breaking for the country. This is real and this is very scary,” she wrote. “And please keep Peta and Shai in your thoughts and prayers as well.”

In another post, Jenna added, “The last 24 hours have been an absolute nightmare. It’s actually unfathomable that this is happening in real time. Heartbroken for my husband’s homeland. More than anything, we just want Maks home … Please keep praying for the citizens & families in Ukraine.”