Former ‘Dancing with the Stars’ pro flees to Poland from Ukraine

Former “Dancing with the Stars” professional Maksim Chmerkovskiy has fled to Poland from Ukraine during the Russian invasion. 

Chmerkovskiy said in a story posted to his Instagram account that he was able to board a train to take him to the Polish border, joining thousands of Ukrainians fleeing the country to escape the conflict, USA Today reported. 

“At first it feels manageable but it gets A LOT worse when it comes time to actually board the train,” he wrote of the “insane” train stations. “All I can say now is that I’m a big man with nothing but a backpack, it’s traumatizing.” 

“People are everywhere,” he commented as he stated the train cabin meant for three people had 11 people on it, according to the outlet.

Chmerkovskiy previously said he had no intention to leave Ukraine.

However, he changed his mind Monday after he said he had been arrested, though he didn’t specify why he was detained.

The “streets are crazy” and there is “fighting everywhere,” he noted at the time. 

“I know that, at the very least, I have a chance. I have a passport, and I have a way out,” he said in another post. “A lot of people do not, and it’s f—ing nonsense.”