Ukrainian model who went missing in Dubai after partying with sheikhs found paralysed

Twenty-year-old Ukrainian model Maria Kovalchuk, who had been out of contact with her family for a long time, was found in a Dubai hospital in critical condition.

Photo: pixabay.com by Ahmad Ardity, https://creativecommons.org/public-domain/pdm/

Dubai

According to RTVI, Kovalchuk arrived in the UAE on February 15. She last communicated with her parents on March 10. The day before, she had gone to a party with two men who were allegedly involved in the modeling industry. Two days later, she was supposed to fly to Thailand, but contact with her was lost.

Kovalchuk is currently in intensive care. Her relatives fear she may have fallen into sexual slavery as she has no ID and no phone with her.

Model found on the side of the road

Kovalchuk was found on the side of a road in Dubai with broken legs and a fractured spine, according to Telegram channel Shot. Her mother stated that Maria had called her, saying she was going to a hotel with strangers, and that her voice sounded confused. After that, she stopped responding.

The model has undergone multiple surgeries. She has broken arms, legs, and a spinal injury. The woman is unable to move and can only move her lips.

According to the channel, so-called "Sheikh parties" are a common way for girls to earn money, with attendees receiving up to $500 per event. However, certain requirements must be met: participants must be at least 160 cm tall, have a toned body, clear skin, and be under 23 years old.

Many women who attend such parties end up in human trafficking situations.

Details

Dubai is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populous of the country's seven emirates. As of 2024, the city has a population of around 3.79 million, more than 90% of whom are expatriates. In the early 20th century, Dubai developed into a significant regional and international trade hub, emphasizing tourism and luxury. Dubai has been a center for regional and international trade since the early 20th century, and its economy relies on revenues from trade, tourism, aviation, real estate, and financial services. Oil revenue helped accelerate the development of the city. However, oil production contributed less than 1 percent to the emirate's GDP in 2018. Due to financial secrecy, low taxes, and valuable real estate, Dubai is an appealing destination for money launderers, criminals, corrupt political figures and sanctioned business-people to launder or hide money. Dubai is a major global business hub, consistently ranked among the top cities for trade, finance, and logistics. The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), a leading financial hub in the Middle East and Africa, is home to over 2,500 international companies. The city is also known for its thriving real estate market, with $761 billion in transactions in 2024 alone. It has the second-most five-star hotels in the world after London and boasts the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa, which stands at 828 meters (2,717 ft). In addition, Dubai International Airport (DXB) is the world’s busiest airport for international passenger traffic, handling over 92 million passengers annually as of 2024.