A Ukrainian model who went missing after attending a party earlier this month has been found in Dubai with severe injuries.
Maria Kovalchuk, who recently turned 20, had been missing for eight days. She told friends she was invited to a party at a hotel on March 9. Reports say she planned to attend with two men who introduced themselves as modeling industry representatives.
Before leaving, Maria told her mother, Anna, that she would be staying with these representatives overnight. However, she disappeared, and concern grew when she missed her flight to Thailand on March 11.
Her family and friends contacted authorities, who launched a search and opened an investigation. Despite their efforts, Maria remained missing for several days.
On March 19, ten days after she was last seen, she was found badly injured on the side of a road in Dubai. Reports say she had multiple broken bones, including her spine. Maria was rushed to the hospital, where she underwent three surgeries. A fourth procedure followed as doctors worked to save her life.
She remains in critical condition and is unable to speak. Her family and friends are hoping she will recover enough to explain what happened.
Maria’s mother shared updates with Ukrainian media, saying there are still many unanswered questions. She mentioned that a promoter who organizes such parties did not recall seeing Maria at the event.
Her mother added, “She has no documents, no phone, nothing. She has undergone multiple surgeries and cannot speak.”
A friend of Maria, Russian model Angelina Doroshenkova, 31, expressed gratitude for those who helped search for her. Angelina had also been invited to the party on March 9 but chose to return to Russia a few days earlier.
Maria, originally from Lviv in western Ukraine, is also known for her activism. She had previously taken part in events supporting Boris Kagarlitsky, a Russian sociologist who was recently sentenced to prison.
For now, her family and friends remain hopeful as she fights to recover in the hospital.
