Duo from Strictly Come Dancing As a feud over Russia divides pros, Katya Jones and Luba Mushtuk say, ‘we don’t want you back.’

“Condemn the war or don’t come back,” their co-stars told STRICTLY’s two Russian dancers.

Katya Jones and Luba Mushtuk have remained silent in the aftermath of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

And now, the show’s other dancers are divided on whether the pair should remain on the show, claiming it would be in “bad taste.”

Two of the other professionals are Ukrainian: Nikita Kuzmin, 24, and Nadiya Bychkova, 32.

“Tensions are high, and there’s a lot of strong feeling about this,” a show source said.

“Some of the dancers would like the producers to make a decision and tell them, ‘You can’t come back for the next series.'”

Katya and Luba, both 32 and born in St Petersburg, are said to be unaware of their colleagues’ grumblings.

They have, however, failed to speak out against the invasion. “Some of the professionals feel it’s in bad taste to have them on the show,” a source said.

“A group of them has discussed it, and they are concerned about how it will affect the programme and cause a backlash.”

“Because they’re on the biggest show on television, they’re already open to criticism, and they’re concerned that this will only add to the controversy.”

“Other parts of the industry are avoiding Russians, and it’s been suggested that Strictly follows suit.”

“There’s a feeling it wouldn’t be right for them to return.”

However, the dancers are said to be divided because some believe it is not Katya or Luba’s fault that they were born where they were.

“They’ve done nothing wrong and have been gutted by the scenes in Ukraine at the hands of their homeland,” the insider continued.

“Some believe they should not be punished for something over which they have no control.”

However, former professional James Jordan, 43, has urged them to publicly condemn Mad Vlad’s war.

“I don’t see many of the Russian dancers I know, and have even shared the Strictly dance floor with, openly speaking out about the war against Ukraine,” he recently tweeted.

“But they’re still using social media to promote themselves?” “I’m very disappointed.”

A BBC spokesman declined to comment.

Luba has competed in two series since joining in 2018, finishing last and second last with rower James Cracknell and NFL player Jason Bell, respectively.

Katya won the 2017 series alongside Holby City actor Joe McFadden and will be the first same-sex couple in 2020 with boxer Nicola Adams.

Luba was a back-up dancer without a partner last year. Katya teamed up with Olympic swimmer Adam Peaty.

It comes after we reported on Russian ex-Strictly pro Kristina Rihanoff’s social media rant about how she didn’t “give a s**t about the war” and was more concerned with her livelihood.