Former Strictly Come Dancing star Pasha Kovalev made an emotional confession about his mum amid the Ukraine crisis.
The Russian dancer appeared on Steph’s Packed Lunch on Friday alongside fellow ex-Strictly pro Anya Garnis.
The pair, who both have Ukrainian ancestry, opened up about their sadness over the war in Ukraine as Pasha said his mum is struggling.
Pasha Kovalev and Anya Garnis on Steph’s Packed Lunch
Anya said: “Both my grandparents on my dad’s side are from Ukraine they were born and buried there, and my godparents are there now, so it’s quite emotional.
Read more: Strictly Ukraine storm rages on as ‘tensions run high’ amid calls for axe of Katya and Luba
“They’re alright, they were able to leave in time. There’s no fine line, it’s not how it works. There was no barrier.”
She added: “As a little girl I used to go to Ukraine all the time for holiday and there was no such nonsense of Russia and Ukrainians.”
What else did Pasha say?
Meanwhile, Pasha said: “My family on my mum’s side goes back to Ukraine and I still have relatives there as well so this whole situation of Russia against Ukraine seems like a nonsense to me.
“And all of the people I know back in Russia cannot make sense of it either. I think it just shouldn’t be happening.”
He went on to say that his mother has gone “inwards” and “closed up a little bit” since the crisis began.
Pasha said: “It is depressing and the hardest thing for me to try to keep my mum cheered up a little bit, because since it started happening she kinda went inwards and closed up a little bit…
“She’s here with me in London, so we’re talking a lot, but those things cannot be fixed in one conversation.”
Following his appearance on Steph’s Packed Lunch, Pasha shared a screengrab from the show and wrote on Instagram: “Loved being on @packedlunchc4 today to talk about all things @riseupwitharts even if I couldn’t be there in person!
Read more: Strictly’s Nikita Kuzmin shares heartbreaking update on loved ones in Ukraine
“@anyagarnis did an amazing job covering for me dancing with a manikin in my place!”
Steph’s Packed Lunch airs weekdays at 12.30pm on Channel 4 and All 4.
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