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Strictly Come Dancing pro Nikita Kuzmin revealed that he’s ‘trying to keep his family safe’ amid Russian’s invasion of Ukraine.
The war in the Ukraine’s capital Kyiv continues, with President Volodymyr Zelensky recently urging Western leaders to ramp up sanctions on Russian energy, to starve the ‘terrorist state’ of money to fund the war.
President Zelensky said stopping the flow of money from oil and gas exports would bring peace closer, while also calling for help to create an ‘air shield’.
During Thursday’s edition of Loose Women, professional dancer Nikita – who is of Ukrainian descent – explained that he is in contact with his grandparents ‘every single day since the war restarted even harsher now.’
‘I’m trying to keep my head clear on what I have to do, and I’m trying to help my country and family at the same time,’ he told presenters Linda Robson, Carol McGiffin, Judi Love, Kaye Adams and Strictly 2022 partner Ellie Simmonds.
He added: ‘The most important thing for me is to to know that my friends and family are safe.
The Strictly pro updated the Loose Women panel about his family in Ukraine (Picture: ITV)
Nikita shared that his grandmother is safe following the tragic attacks in Ukraine (Picture:Instagram @nikita_kuzmin)
‘It’s important to know that my country is fighting back. The most important thing is that everybody is safe, of course we can’t avoid the war, we can’t give up, but I just hope it ends as soon as possible.
‘It’s heartbreaking to be honest, really hard to talk about in some way.’
In March, Nikita’s grandmother travelled from Kyiv following attacks on the capital and met with her grandson at the train station in Poland.
The 24-year-old shared a snapshot of an emotional day, praising his ‘incredibly brave and strong’ grandma for making the journey.
Nikita is partnered with Paralympian swimmer Ellie Simmonds on this year’s Strictly (Picture: BBC)
He explained how she went two nights without sleeping and walked over 8km in the ‘freezing cold when on a normal day she can barely walk.’
‘She traveled from Kiev, my mom flew from Rome and I drove from Frankfurt and we all reunited in Krakow! Just so happy to be together [sic],’ he wrote on Instagram.
However, in June, the star revealed that most of his family are unable to leave Ukraine.
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‘We are not able to take them out because of health conditions, so it’s constantly on my mind,’ he said
‘I don’t want to make it about myself, it’s nothing about me, it’s about the heroes who are defending our country.
‘It’s all about them, so I’m just praying to god that this is going to end soon.’
Loose Women airs weekdays at 12:30pm on ITV.
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‘It’s heartbreaking to be honest, really hard to talk about in some way.’