Peta Murgatroyd is asking for prayers and well wishes for her husband Maks Chmerkovskiy, who continues to share updates on social media followers about the rapidly unfolding Russian invasion in Ukraine.
“Please pray for my husband Maks. 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,” the Dancing with the Stars pro, 35, shared on Instagram Thursday.
Chmerkovskiy, 42, and Murgatroyd wed in 2017. The couple share 5-year-old son Shai.
“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,” the mother of one continued in her message to fans and followers.
“Many of you are asking for details and I don’t have the answers, but yes, he is safe right now. Please pray that he comes home soon. Please pray that he has a swift, safe exit,” Murgatroyd wrote. “I have FAITH. I have HOPE and I have PRAYED so hard.”
The dancer concluded, “Please pray for Ukraine and the innocent civilians who’s [sic] lives are being greatly uprooted. I grew to love this country the couple of times I visited and they’re in an unfathomable situation.”
Her husband responded in her comments section with a teary-eyed emoji and a red heart emoji.
Murgatroyd’s post comes amid the invasion in Ukraine, which began shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “special military operation” in the Donbas area of the country.
The location is a separatist region which Putin, 69, said this week should be independent — a move rejected by the U.S. and Ukraine.
In a televised address, Putin said the operation is to “demilitarize” Ukraine and that Ukrainian servicemen. Who put down their arms will be able to safely leave the combat zone, per the Associate Press.
He also issued a warning to anyone who tried to intervene, saying they “must know that Russia’s answer will be immediate, and will lead to such consequences as you never experienced in your history,” according to The New York Times.
With Russia’s invasion now fully underway. Ukrainian officials said forces were crossing from the north, south and east in a still-evolving attack. The first explosions were reportedly heard around 5 a.m. Thursday and airstrikes have since occurred in multiple cities, including Kharkiv. Kramatorsk and the capital of Kyiv, the Associated Press reported.
Ukrainian officials said at least 57 people had been killed already with several injuries in what Foreign Minister. Dmytro Kuleba called a “full-scale” invasion of the country, according to the AP and other reports.
Roxs news Source: PEOPLE