Maks Chmerkovskiyhas returned to Europe amid the ongoingRussian invasion of Ukraineto help those in need.
“Saw my family, saw my friends, obviously spent some time. And we’ve been working. We’ve been working on tangible opportunities to help,” said Chmerkovskiy, 42.
He then gave an update onBaranova27, a charitable organization for Ukrainian humanitarian aid named after the address where he, his brotherVal Chmerkovskiyand their father were born in Odessa, Ukraine. TheGoFundMe has raisedover $138,000 since it launched on March 10.
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“We’ve been working diligently on making Baranova27 something that, as big as it took off, that it can continue that way,” Chmerkovskiy said.
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Chmerkovskiy also said during the 14-minute Instagram Live that the devastation as a result of the ongoing war “didn’t not end, or slow down — it got worse in Ukraine.”
“I want everybody to understand what that means because everything that happened, happened fast, and it was traumatic and it was worldwide and everything,” he explained. “But right now, it is getting worse. Humanitarian crisis is getting worse. People are getting hurt worse, there are more people hurt and there are more people affected.”
Maks Chmerkovskiy.Maksim Chmerkovskiy/Instagram
Commenting on the situation in Poland, Chmerkovskiy continued, “These towns are running out of space. This is an actual problem. A few towns already announced they cannot accept any more refugees. Currently where I’m at, in Warsaw, the middle of downtown, everywhere you go is Ukrainian. Everybody’s a refugee.”
The update comes two weeks after the star said in an interview withCNNthat he wanted to return to Eastern Europe to help Ukrainians in need.
“I spent the last couple of days with survivor’s remorse, and I’m currentlyworking on an opportunity to go back,” Chmerkovskiy toldAnderson Cooper. “Probably sometime next week I’m going to go back to Poland and join efforts on the ground. Sort of want to justify my safe out that way.”
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Russia’sattack on Ukrainecontinues after their forces launched a large-scale invasion on Feb. 24 — the first major land conflict in Europe in decades.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy (L); Vladimir Putin.getty
With NATO forces massing in the region around Ukraine, various countries have also pledged aid or military support to the resistance. Ukrainian PresidentVolodymyr Zelenskyycalled for peace talks — so far unsuccessful — while urging his country to fight back.
Putin, 69, insists Ukraine has historic ties to Russia and he is acting in the best security interests of his country. Zelenskyy, 44, vowed not to bend.
“Nobody is going to break us, we’re strong, we’re Ukrainians,“he told the European Unionin a speech in the early days of the fighting, adding, “Life will win over death. And light will win over darkness.”
source: people.com
