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Model Who Survived Dubai Party From Hell Is Speaking But Doesn’t Remember Her Own Family
Model in green bikini posing outdoors with tattooed arms, surrounded by tropical plants and wooden structures.
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Model Who Survived Dubai Party From Hell Is Speaking But Doesn’t Remember Her Own Family

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The Ukrainian OF model, who was found with multiple severe injuries at the side of a road in Dubai after going missing for ten days, is awake and speaking.

The 20-year-old, Maria Kovalchuk, disappeared after telling friends and relatives that she would be spending the night at an elite hotel party on March 9 earlier this year. 

Trigger Warning: She was not heard from until the 19th of the same month, when she was found with multiple injuries, including broken limbs, a damaged spine, and missing teeth.

Highlights
  • The 20-year-old was found with broken teeth, limbs and spine on a Dubai roadside.
  • She has started speaking but does not remember her relatives.
  • Her mother claims he has the names of the criminals.

Her mother, Anna, who flew from Norway and is currently keeping vigil at her recovering daughter’s bedside, has since confirmed that Maria is speaking—only she does not recognize her relatives.

RELATED:

    Maria’s attackers were not from Dubai

    Model with blonde hair posing on a balcony in Dubai with city skyline in the background, symbolizing model brutally attacked in Dubai.

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    Image credits: marielouna

    Talking to the Russian media, Anna said: “I know the names of the culprits, they are already on the prosecutor’s list.”

    A blogger named Tatyana Mozhegova took it a step further, when she claimed that the person responsible for Maria’s condition was a member of a wealthy local Arab family.

    She also implicated men by the names of Michael Smith and Adam Collins, whom she said was part of the girl’s entourage, along with Said Al Hamadi, Said Al Fagadi, and a person known only as “Rashid.”

    Model posing outdoors in a green bikini at a tropical-themed restaurant, showcasing tattoos and a confident expression.

    Image credits: marielouna

    Anna has since refuted this claim, calling it a lie and a grasp for relevance by Mozhegova.

    “She’s talking complete nonsense. It looks like someone is just trying to get publicity from the tragedy,” she told Russia’s AIF.

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    Those in the know have refused to share the names of the attackers

    Doctor and nurse attending to a female model in hospital, providing care after a brutal attack in Dubai, helping her begin to speak.

    Image credits: Getty Images/Unsplash (Not the actual photo)

    Anna went on to say the names of the perpetrators were with the local prosecutor, but did not surrender them to the outlet.

    Bored Panda previously reported unnamed sources saying that the model had fallen afoul of a European criminal group known for luring in women with promises of money, only for them to be subjected to abuse and depravity.

    Model brutally attacked in Dubai with a thoughtful expression, looking away, sitting indoors near a window.

    Image credits: marielouna

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    “UAE citizens have nothing to do with it,” the individual said, also slamming the blogger’s claims. 

    Like Maria’s mother, the source refrained from naming the suspects.

    Police are saying that the OF model suffered a bad fall, but this does not explain her teeth in her handbag

    Blonde model wearing sunglasses overlooking Dubai coastline from a high vantage point on a sunny day.

    Image credits: marielouna

    Outing the culprits has not been a walk in the park for the Kovalchuks. 

    According to the Ukrainian online news outlet, Obozrevatel, the model has “serious memory problems” to the extent that she does not even recognize her family and friends. 

    Also, her recollection of the event leading up to her discovery in March, is patchy at best.

    Young model in white top and pink skirt taking a mirror selfie in bathroom after brutal attack in Dubai begins to speak.

    Image credits: marielouna

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    To exacerbate issues, local authorities are claiming that she gained unauthorized access to a construction site and fell–a theory that is intended to explain away the chocolate found in her mouth, her broken teeth in her handbag, and her broken legs, arms, and spine. 

    A woman who attended the same party and managed to escape, known only as Ksenia, reported loud screams coming from behind a closed door, followed by the sight of two men lugging away a large object in a rolled up carpet.

    View of Dubai skyline and waterfront from a balcony, related to model brutally attacked in Dubai recovering.

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    Perhaps as a nod to Mozhegova’s theory, Ksenia claimed that its organizer was a man  who went by the name of Said.

    Maria’s injuries are so severe that she is still not able to sit up after three months in the hospital

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    Middle-aged woman with blonde hair wearing floral top, related to model brutally attacked in Dubai recovering.

    Image credits: marielouna

    Maria and Anna are still in Dubai, waiting until the victim is strong enough for the flight back to Europe. 

    At this point, the 20-year-old who has undergone numerous life saving operations and been in hospital more than three months, is not even able to sit upright.

    Model in Dubai with closed eyes wearing red top and white shirt at night near city skyline after brutal attack recovery

    Image credits: marielouna

    Social media has since weighed in on the story with overwhelming outrage and support for the young woman.

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    Social media is raging

    One netizen indicated that Maria’s case is not unique, saying: “There are so many stories similar to this from Dubai. Women getting trafficked, or killed after being invited to private parties.”

    Blonde model in Dubai at night with Burj Khalifa in background, related to model brutally attacked in Dubai news.

    Image credits: marielouna

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    Another highlighted the local police’s cognitive dissonance when they sarcastically wrote:  “I hate it when I fall and my teeth end up in my wallet.”

    “Whatever this young girl does, there is never any excuse for this brutality. She is lucky to be alive, but her life has changed immeasurably now,” wrote one person, summing up the general sentiment.

    Comment on social media by Brittany Watson discussing stories of women trafficked or killed after private parties in Dubai.

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    Comment by Annemarie Clark saying she's lucky to be alive, reacting to a model brutally attacked in Dubai.

    Comment by Elena Bernal expressing hope for a model's full recovery after brutal attack in Dubai.

    Comment from Laura Gareth highlighting what billionaires and mega millionaires do in a social media post.

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    Comment text on a social media post expressing support against abuse of a model brutally attacked in Dubai.

    Comment by Misti September expressing doubt about model's survival and alleging local police corruption.

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    User comment by Mary Maxson expressing shock and concern about a model brutally attacked in Dubai who begins to speak but doesn’t recognize her own family.

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    Comment by Madhurima Das reading What monster does that? with 8 likes and a shocked emoji reaction.

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    Dave Malyon

    Dave Malyon

    Writer, Entertainment News Writer

    Read more »

    A writer with a journey spanning hard news, food, and culture, with bylines in The Epoch Times, NTD, Dented Armour, Tasting Table, and Mashed. At Bored Panda the focus has pivoted to entertainment, tracking celebrity newsmakers, Hollywood drama, and viral stories while vying to give more substance and less surface.

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    Dave Malyon

    Dave Malyon

    Writer, Entertainment News Writer

    A writer with a journey spanning hard news, food, and culture, with bylines in The Epoch Times, NTD, Dented Armour, Tasting Table, and Mashed. At Bored Panda the focus has pivoted to entertainment, tracking celebrity newsmakers, Hollywood drama, and viral stories while vying to give more substance and less surface.

    What do you think ?
    Dee Tag
    Community Member
    5 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Maria's Mom needs to stop doing interviews. As long as her daughter is still there she isn't safe, especially if she can identify the perpetrators.

    Binky Melnik
    Community Member
    5 months ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I *do* think it’s smart, though, saying her daughter can’t remember anything, even if she remembers it in excruciating detail. So long as the perpetrators believe that, perhaps they’ll let her live (even though my choice would be to diе. Who wants to live with those kids of memories and injuries? Eeesh.)

    Load More Replies...
    Binky Melnik
    Community Member
    5 months ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If it were me, I would hope like crazy I never got my memory back. Hell; I wouldn’t have wanted to survive. I was roofied once, and I have NO clue what happened during that time other than that my valuables (which were VERY valuable) were stolen. I haven’t even an iota of the tiniest idea what happened to me, and I am sooo grateful for that! At least i came away without injuries or illnesses (aside from needing to sleep off the d**g(s?) for 72 hours.) Given I wasn’t injured and I’m STILL glad I don’t know what happened, I think the best thing that can happen for her is that she never remembers. I don’t want to even try to imagine what she’s been through. I hope she becomes a warning for other girls who think they’ll get rich quick if they can just bear some mistreatment. $50K won’t make you rich, and the mental damage certainly isn’t worth it!

    Roxanne D'souza
    Community Member
    5 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I travel to Dubai once a year because I have family there and while its relatively safe for women, there can be absolute depraved s**t happening behind closed doors. A few years ago when I was browsing through tinder, I matched with a white dude (I'm brown) and we chatted a bit. He asked if I liked to party and being a homebody, I said not really. By then we moved off Tinder to WhatsApp and the next thing is does is gets his "friend" to message me. Its a brown dude now asking me if I wanted to party at a private villa and saying there will be lots of foreigners and asking me if I can handle white men. By then I was having a laugh and asking this dude if he was a pimp and would I be earning money and he was playing off as offended that I would even think that. Anyway after humouring him a lot, I declined all offers calling it shady which really made him mad. Months later he messaged me again asking if I wanted a job (since I talked about money previously.)

    Roxanne D'souza
    Community Member
    5 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I asked details about the job and he said we could meet privately and I was just amazed as how delusional some dudes are, and I hoped not a lot of women fall for this BS. After a bit of back and forth (I wanted to get more info) I finally told him I have all these chats saved and will contact the local authorities, so he called me a b***h for wasting his time and blocked me. That being said, I still feel very safe in Dubai and have had moments where my sister and I have been on the street at 3am waiting for a cab and will perhaps continue to do so. But we are also cautious of our surroundings at all times. Dubai is absolutely not the place for an OF girl to come to party. Those parties will definitely have cover ups and a lot of c**p happens behind closed doors. Absolutely no justice will be served because the UAE likes its good PR and doesn't want to be known as being unsafe for women.

    Load More Replies...
    Emilu
    Community Member
    5 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I’m glad she’s beginning to make a recovery, even though her forgetting her family is heartbreaking. Not sure if it being a cover story would be better or worse. I just hope she continues to recover and stays safe.

    JayWantsACat
    Community Member
    5 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    These women are absolutely victims but after all the stories about how that country treats women and other stories just like this one, you're an idiot for going there at this point. If clout and money this important to you morons?

    The Chronic Insomniac
    Community Member
    5 months ago

    This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

    These young women who use sexuality to earn money, become well known and wealthy through online sales of using their bodies to entice men, then go to countries KNOWN for misogyny. WHY?? They think they are protected by their looks and their online reputation but this is what endangers them in the first place. Obviously the men are animals, criminals, and horrid people. This should never happen, but we have to face the reality that there is true evil in this world so you should never let your guard down and never go to parties with people you don't know in some foreign country or at home.

    Ms.GB
    Community Member
    5 months ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Maybe she knew one of them or thought she did anyway. I can't imagine she would go with a bunch of guys she never met before but she's young. Young people always think nothing bad can happen to them until it does. A bouncer stopped a guy from pulling me out the side door of a club once. He wanted me to go to his car with him and I kept saying no. I definitely didn't realize the danger that I was in until I noticed he had kind of backed me into a dark corner by the door. Then he pushed the door open and pulled me but this huge bouncer came out of nowhere. I got lucky and I will never forget that bouncer. He reminded me of Steve Wilkos.

    Load More Replies...
    Dee Tag
    Community Member
    5 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Maria's Mom needs to stop doing interviews. As long as her daughter is still there she isn't safe, especially if she can identify the perpetrators.

    Binky Melnik
    Community Member
    5 months ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I *do* think it’s smart, though, saying her daughter can’t remember anything, even if she remembers it in excruciating detail. So long as the perpetrators believe that, perhaps they’ll let her live (even though my choice would be to diе. Who wants to live with those kids of memories and injuries? Eeesh.)

    Load More Replies...
    Binky Melnik
    Community Member
    5 months ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If it were me, I would hope like crazy I never got my memory back. Hell; I wouldn’t have wanted to survive. I was roofied once, and I have NO clue what happened during that time other than that my valuables (which were VERY valuable) were stolen. I haven’t even an iota of the tiniest idea what happened to me, and I am sooo grateful for that! At least i came away without injuries or illnesses (aside from needing to sleep off the d**g(s?) for 72 hours.) Given I wasn’t injured and I’m STILL glad I don’t know what happened, I think the best thing that can happen for her is that she never remembers. I don’t want to even try to imagine what she’s been through. I hope she becomes a warning for other girls who think they’ll get rich quick if they can just bear some mistreatment. $50K won’t make you rich, and the mental damage certainly isn’t worth it!

    Roxanne D'souza
    Community Member
    5 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I travel to Dubai once a year because I have family there and while its relatively safe for women, there can be absolute depraved s**t happening behind closed doors. A few years ago when I was browsing through tinder, I matched with a white dude (I'm brown) and we chatted a bit. He asked if I liked to party and being a homebody, I said not really. By then we moved off Tinder to WhatsApp and the next thing is does is gets his "friend" to message me. Its a brown dude now asking me if I wanted to party at a private villa and saying there will be lots of foreigners and asking me if I can handle white men. By then I was having a laugh and asking this dude if he was a pimp and would I be earning money and he was playing off as offended that I would even think that. Anyway after humouring him a lot, I declined all offers calling it shady which really made him mad. Months later he messaged me again asking if I wanted a job (since I talked about money previously.)

    Roxanne D'souza
    Community Member
    5 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I asked details about the job and he said we could meet privately and I was just amazed as how delusional some dudes are, and I hoped not a lot of women fall for this BS. After a bit of back and forth (I wanted to get more info) I finally told him I have all these chats saved and will contact the local authorities, so he called me a b***h for wasting his time and blocked me. That being said, I still feel very safe in Dubai and have had moments where my sister and I have been on the street at 3am waiting for a cab and will perhaps continue to do so. But we are also cautious of our surroundings at all times. Dubai is absolutely not the place for an OF girl to come to party. Those parties will definitely have cover ups and a lot of c**p happens behind closed doors. Absolutely no justice will be served because the UAE likes its good PR and doesn't want to be known as being unsafe for women.

    Load More Replies...
    Emilu
    Community Member
    5 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I’m glad she’s beginning to make a recovery, even though her forgetting her family is heartbreaking. Not sure if it being a cover story would be better or worse. I just hope she continues to recover and stays safe.

    JayWantsACat
    Community Member
    5 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    These women are absolutely victims but after all the stories about how that country treats women and other stories just like this one, you're an idiot for going there at this point. If clout and money this important to you morons?

    The Chronic Insomniac
    Community Member
    5 months ago

    This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

    These young women who use sexuality to earn money, become well known and wealthy through online sales of using their bodies to entice men, then go to countries KNOWN for misogyny. WHY?? They think they are protected by their looks and their online reputation but this is what endangers them in the first place. Obviously the men are animals, criminals, and horrid people. This should never happen, but we have to face the reality that there is true evil in this world so you should never let your guard down and never go to parties with people you don't know in some foreign country or at home.

    Ms.GB
    Community Member
    5 months ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Maybe she knew one of them or thought she did anyway. I can't imagine she would go with a bunch of guys she never met before but she's young. Young people always think nothing bad can happen to them until it does. A bouncer stopped a guy from pulling me out the side door of a club once. He wanted me to go to his car with him and I kept saying no. I definitely didn't realize the danger that I was in until I noticed he had kind of backed me into a dark corner by the door. Then he pushed the door open and pulled me but this huge bouncer came out of nowhere. I got lucky and I will never forget that bouncer. He reminded me of Steve Wilkos.

    Load More Replies...
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