Strictly Come Dancing star Nikita Kuzmin has told the British public “Don’t stay silent” and says his grandmother is caught up in the violence in Ukraine.

       The professional dancer, who was partnered with Tilly Ramsay on the last series of the BBC One show, was born and raised in the country before moving to Italy aged nine.

       Appearing on ITV’s Lorraine from Germany, he said he was concerned about the welfare of his grandmother, but they were in regular contact.

       “She’s actually trying to protect us from being scared. Every time we can hear gunshots or explosions in the background, she’s always telling us that it’s a movie which she’s put on the TV.

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       He said: “Luckily, we still have a connection to her, so we are video-calling her all the time.

       “Only afterwards, a couple of hours later, she’s confessing that actually it’s a real bomb, real gunshots. It’s incredibly scary.”

       The dancer also appeared to repeat the Ukrainian Government’s request for a no-fly zone.

       He said: “Please help us cover the sky – we need help.”

       Addressing the UK’s hospitals, he said: “Please help the Ukrainian children in need, call the embassy,” before adding to the public: “Don’t stay silent.”

       Kuzmin and his family moved from Ukraine to Italy to support his sister’s dancing career, which prompted his own career to flourish.

       He became a six-time Italian champion in Latin and ballroom, and later joined the German version of Strictly, Let’s Dance.