A 20-year-old Ukrainian OnlyFans model, Maria Kovalchuk, who was found with horrific injuries on the side of a road in Dubai after being missing for over a week, is now expected to survive, though questions about what really happened to her continue to swirl.
Maria had vanished on March 9, after telling friends she had been invited to a party at a hotel with two men claiming to be modelling agents. She was last heard from that day, and missed her scheduled flight to Thailand on March 11, prompting concern from family and friends, who reported her missing.
Then, on March 19, Maria was found battered, bloodied, and dumped at a roadside in Dubai, suffering from broken limbs, a shattered spine, and other life-threatening injuries. She was rushed to the hospital, where she underwent four separate surgeries in an effort to save her life.
Her mother Anna, who flew in from Norway to be by her daughter’s side, confirmed that Maria is now in stable condition and expected to recover.
“She is getting medical treatment and everything will be all right,” she told reporters.
Authorities in Dubai said that the adult content creator entered a restricted construction site alone and fell from a height, resulting in her injuries.
A police statement added that Maria was now “hospitalised, receiving medical care with her family present,” and that the investigation was ongoing.
But Maria’s family appears deeply sceptical of the official explanation. Russian outlet Shot reported that they believe the story of her falling at a construction site may be fabricated. When asked about these claims, her mother said, “I cannot comment because of the investigation.”
Maria’s disappearance has raised several red flags. Prior to vanishing, she told her mother she would be staying overnight with two men who claimed to work in the modelling industry — and who had invited her to a high-end party. That same night, she disappeared without a trace, with no phone, documents, or personal belongings found on her.
Maria’s friend, Angelina Doroshenkova, a Russian model who had also been invited to the same March 9 event, said she opted to return to Russia instead.
“We all hope for the best and are very grateful to everyone who took part in the search and helped with information,” she shared.
Russian news outlet VChK-OGPU reported that Maria had appeared to be in a state of “incomprehensible hysterics” shortly before she vanished, though what exactly occurred in the hours leading up to her injuries remains unclear.
Maria was ultimately located in a Dubai hospital, seriously wounded, and without any way to communicate. Her mother revealed she was unable to speak and in extremely fragile condition when first found.
As Maria begins her long road to recovery, her family — and the wider modelling and influencer community — are left searching for answers about what really happened to the young woman in the days between March 9 and 19.