Strictly pro apologises for ‘insensitive’ tweet saying ‘I don’t give a s***’ about Russia-Ukraine war

‘If I offended anyone it wasn’t my intention and I’m deeply sorry,’ wrote Russian dancer Kristina Rihanoff

Russian dancer Kristina Rihanoff, a former pro on Strictly Come Dancing, has apologised after being criticised for a tweet about the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Rihanoff, who featured on the BBC series from 2008 to 2015, wrote that she didn’t “give a s*** about the war” in one of several since-deleted posts.

“I do want to focus on what sort of punishment Boris Johnson will have for destroying my family run business and 1000 of others,” she wrote. “Many of my friends LOST businesses because of government lockdowns.

“Don’t give a s*** about the war but I do about the debt because of NO TRADING for 2yrs.”

Rihanoff had also criticised a Ukrainian journalist who had said that her mother was fleeing the country following the Russian invasion.

“Why don’t you report about everyone who was abused in Ukraine by extreme nationalists for 8 yrs,” she responded. “Prohibiting families to speak Russian language, terrorising peaceful Russian families which I know many who live in Ukraine.”

She also wrote: “Thoughts - Biden can only change his diapers on his own, he can’t do anything else. People who control him know that war is very profitable. Let’s make sure war happens. At all costs. And isn’t it great that UK no longer angry at diabolical parties. How convenient.”

Rihanoff was criticised on social media for the tweets, with some followers branding the comments “insensitive”.

After deleting the tweets, Rihanoff clarified her comments in a statement shared to Twitter, in which she also apologised to those she had offended.

“I made fun of Eurovision tweet by Sky,” she wrote. “I did think there was far more important information on that day that Eurovision. This is in any form says I was supporting what’s happening at the moment between Russia & Ukraine.

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Russian dancer Kristina Rihanoff pictured in 2018 (Getty Images for Together For Sh)

“It’s absolutely devastating for someone like me who’s grandad from Ukraine and I gave Ukrainian name to my daughter Milena. My best friend is also from Ukraine. I grew up with knowledge that we were one nation and one country. I’m not into politics and hate politicians because THEY ALL LIE. Seeing the news is breaking my heart as I have Russian friends who live in UKRAINE and vice versa.”

She wrote that the “awful thing” is the casualties “on both sides” of the war, saying that “this shouldn’t [have] ever taken place” and “never should have happened”.

“I’m not supporting Putin, war, invasion, lost lives and politics,” she continued. “I hate it as much as a human being possibly can. If I offended anyone it wasn’t my intention and I’m deeply sorry. While I was born in Russia I left it 22yrs ago and [am] an American citizen.

“So you can hate me if this will give you comfort but If I didn’t say something you wanted me to say it’s bcs sadly I’m powerless doing anything to help anyone in both countries and I don’t believe in useless posts which can’t help to safe lives [sic].”

The message finished by saying: “I can only hope and pray like everyone that this is over soon. And it’s really sad that the hate is so powerful everywhere you look at the moment. The whole world is burning in it.”

Follow the latest updates about the Russian invasion of Ukraine here.