Judge Robert Rinder FINALLY finds Strictly partner Oksana Platero’s grandmother

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Oksana Platero has thanked her Strictly partner Judge Robert Rinder after he finally found her grandmother and aunt in Ukraine after a week-long search.

The criminal barrister, 43, has been reporting from the front line and told last week how he was heading to the war-torn country in search of his former dance partner’s family members. 

The TV star has been documenting his trip to the Poland/Ukraine border where he has met many other refugees – he has not yet given details about how he tracked Oksana’s family members down.

Rob told Talk Radio that Oksana’s grandparents and aunt are currently staying in ‘one small room’ in a ‘chalet bungalow’ in Tuchow, Poland. He said her uncle and cousin are on their way to join them.

Sharing snaps hugging the two women, Rinder wrote in the caption: ‘Oksana’s family: Auntie Lidya and Grandma Zoya. 

‘We managed to reach them this morning with a wheelchair & some medical supplies.

‘Despite having nearly nothing.. they are ‘grateful for everything’.’

Oksana’s auntie looked visibly emotional in the snap as he hugged auntie Lidya and kissed her on the forehead.  

In the second snap he hugged her grandma Zoya – who isn’t able to walk without a wheelchair – as she sat in bed covered by blankets. 

Professional dancer Oksana, who has not been able to make the journey herself because she has work commitments in America, took to Instagram on Wednesday to thank Rob.

In a heartfelt caption, she wrote: ‘I can’t say thank you enough to my wonderful SCD partner @robrinder and his team for being there for my family and so many others. 

‘You are a truly remarkable man and my love for you is limitless. The world needs more people like you.’ 

Speaking to Talk Radio, Rob said Oksana’s family are hopeful that they will be able to return to their home in Ukraine, as he described their journey to Poland.

He added: ‘It really drives into sharp focus what happens when you need to leave your home suddenly, you’re left without a wheelchair, without the basic needs, you know the basic things that are required for people’s human dignity – going to the loo and so and so forth – and things you need if you are disabled.

‘All of that had to be left, as they journey for seven days, sometimes without water, fleeing shelling to arrive here.’ 

In another post, Robert revealed Oskana’s family also had their puppy Tesla with them, as he shared a snap of the dog and wrote: ‘He brings us so much love that we forget the bad things’. 

On Instagram, Robert shared another heartwarming picture of him hugging a woman and said the ‘women of Ukraine’ were ‘safeguarding’ their nation.

He wrote: ‘Tonight is Purim, the story of Queen Esther, a Jewish Queen who learned that Haman (the king’s adviser) was planning to destroy the Jewish people. 

‘Esther revealed the plot & saved her people. Thousands of years on, the women of Ukraine are safeguarding the future of their nation.’

Robert and Oksana reached the quarter-final stage of Strictly, when they competed together in 2016. 

And announcing he was going to the Ukraine last week, Rob said: ‘Oksana Platero my Ukrainian dance partner on @bbcstrictly gifted me so much.

‘Right now her grandparents are a week into their struggle to find sanctuary in a safe country. 

‘I’ll be trying to meet them on the border next week. They’re just a few of the millions who need us.’ 

Robert added at the time that it was unclear where he could meet Oksana’s grandparents, but he was hoping to meet them somewhere on Ukraine’s border with Poland. 

He added: ‘Depends on where they make it to but I’ll be at the Polish border from Monday.

‘If they cross into Hungary the next step will be getting them to safety with their family.’

Robert and Oksana reached the quarter-final stage of Strictly, when they competed together in 2016.

The dancer herself also took to Instagram last Wednesday pleading for help from her followers, and explaining how her family fled their hometown last week to reach safety. 

She wrote: ‘Dear Friends, as you already know, many families are going through such hardship with the war in Ukraine. My family and my cousins, @kateryna_klishyna, family are escaping and close to the border. 

‘My mother, my 10 year old brother, and Kateryna’s sister, left their home the morning of March 2nd and arrived to safety March 6th. 

‘As you can imagine, the journey there was brutal but all that matters is that they made it, and they are safe. We are forever grateful to still have them as we know so many who can’t say the same. 

‘The rest of our family which include our 3 grandparents, 2 who are not able to walk, and Kateryna’s mom and dad are still in danger as they are currently still trying to escape. We are praying that they will make it out of Ukraine and into safety soon. 

‘What’s next is unclear, unpredictable, and terrifying. This is where we’d like to ask for any support as they spend their time away from home. 

‘They will be in need of accommodations, food, and medical attention for quite some time. We are raising money to send to them and keep them in good hands. Anything you can do to help would be much appreciated.

‘From the bottom our our hearts we thank you and please keep our family and the rest of Ukraine in your thoughts and prayers. Oksana and Kateryna.’

It’s thought around two million Ukranian citizens have now fled their country in the wake of the Russian invasion, but the Government has come under fire for handing out just 500 visas to refugees.