What did Kristina Rihanoff say? Strictly Come Dancing star apologizes after facing backlash over deleted tweets

Kristina Rihanoff, who was a professional on Strictly Come Dancing from 2008 to 2015, posted an apology on Twitter after she faced a huge amount of criticism over her controversial tweets about the ongoing Russia-Ukraine crisis.

The dancer faced a backlash over her now-deleted series of tweets, which included one criticizing Sky News for reporting that Russia had been banned from Eurovision following the crisis last weekend.

Kristina Rihanoff had to apologize after retaliation by netizens

First part of Rihanoff's apology (Image via Kristina Rihanoff/Twitter)

Kristina Rihanoff began her apology with an explanation that "there was far more important information on that day" than the Eurovision update.

"I made fun of Eurovision tweet by Sky. 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."

Explaining that she has Ukrainian routes and that she gave her daughter a Ukrainian name, she stated:

"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."

Kristina Rihanoff, who is "not into politics" and in fact hates politicians, added:

"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."

Second part of Riahnoff's apology (Image via Kristina Rihanoff/Twitter)

Speaking about the existence of casualties on both sides, the dancer said:

"The awful thing is that there is casualties on both sides and on both sides mums & dads will cry for their lost relatives. The point is that this shouldn't ever taken place, never should have happened."

She also mentioned that the war is a "profitable business," saying:

"The country leaders Should have found the way along time ago to sort this peacefully but they didn't bcs war is a profitable business and someone unfortunately making profit on this."

Rihanoff, an American citizen who reportedly doesn't support "Putin, war, invasion, lost lives, and politics," stated that she did not intend to offend anyone and that she is "deeply sorry" for her actions.

"I'm not supporting Putin, war, invasion, lost lives and politics. 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 an American citizen."

Third part of Rihanoff's apology (Image via Kristina Rihanoff/Twitter)

Noting that she is powerless to do anything to help anyone in either country, Kristina Rihanoff wrote:

"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."

She concluded her statement by saying that she is continuing to pray as the world burns during the crisis.

"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"

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Here's what caused Kristina Rihanoff to face the backlash

Kristina Rihanoff (Image via Getty Images)

Last week, Kristina Rihanoff took to Twitter to express that she is more focused on her family business that has been heavily impacted by the pandemic than the ongoing Russia-Ukraine crisis. She tweeted:

"Actually no. I do want to focus on what sort of punishment Boris Johnson will have for destroying my family run business and 1000 of others. Many of my friends LOST businesses because of government lockdowns. Don't give a s**t about the war but I do about the debt because of NO TRADING for 2yrs."

In one of her tweets, she also addressed a Ukrainian journalist who announced that her mother was fleeing the country. She wrote on Twitter:

"So you mother is walking 10k while you in France? Why don't you report about everyone who was abused in Ukraine by extreme nationalists for 8 yrs Prohibiting families to speak Russian language, terrorising peaceful Russian families which I know many who live in Ukraine"

Rihanoff's tweets (Images via Kristina Rihanoff/Twitter)

In another tweet, Rihanoff, slamming Joe Biden, discussed the diverted attention from Boris Johnson's "diabolical" parties. In the same tweet, she also mentioned her belief that "war is very profitable," as she tweeted:

"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"

Kristina Rihanoff addressed Foreign Secretary Liz Truss following news of sanctions against Russia as well. She took to Twitter to post:

"Nobody gives a flying monkey about your sanctions. Just like bfr ALL countries will crawl back AGAIN begging to trade & start tourism. Stand up first for UK & sort out your own s**t & get geography & history lesson next time you go to Russia to talk politics U R #embarrassing"

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She also shared a cartoon of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Boris Johnson, and US President Joe Biden pointing and saying "Russian man bad" as they stand on top of a pile of bodies with blood on their hands. She captioned the tweet: