Ukrainian Police Open Human Trafficking Investigation After Young Model Found Severely Injured in Dubai

Ukrainian authorities have opened a human trafficking investigation following the discovery of Maria Kovalchuk, a 20-year-old Ukrainian model and online content creator, who was found critically injured on the side of a road in Dubai after being missing for more than a week.

Kovalchuk, originally from Lviv, disappeared on 9 March after telling friends she had been invited to a hotel party in Dubai. Her family grew alarmed when she failed to board a scheduled flight to Thailand and could not be reached. She was reported missing shortly thereafter.

On 19 March, Kovalchuk was discovered near a roadside in Dubai with catastrophic injuries, including a broken spine and multiple fractured limbs. She was rushed to hospital, where she underwent four surgeries. According to her family, she is now in stable condition and expected to survive.

Conflicting Accounts of What Happened

Dubai police have stated that their investigation concluded Kovalchuk entered a restricted construction site alone and fell from a height, sustaining her injuries in the process. The police account has been strongly disputed by her family, who say the explanation does not align with the circumstances surrounding her disappearance.

At the time of her discovery, Kovalchuk reportedly had no phone or identification documents with her. According to her mother, Anna Kovalchuk, she was initially unable to speak following surgery, limiting her ability to explain what had occurred.

Dubai Police did not respond to requests for comment from international media regarding the family’s objections to their findings.

Human Trafficking Case Opened in Ukraine

On 29 March, the National Police of Ukraine formally announced the opening of a human trafficking case related to Kovalchuk’s disappearance and injuries. The investigation is being led by the main investigative department in the Lviv region, where Kovalchuk is from.

Ukrainian authorities confirmed that a pre-trial investigation is underway. No suspects have been publicly named at this stage.

The Ukrainian consulate in Dubai has not issued a public statement on the case, and it remains unclear whether parallel inquiries are being conducted by Emirati authorities beyond the initial police findings.

Questions Around Recruitment and “Modeling” Offers

According to her mother, prior to her disappearance Kovalchuk said she was staying with two men who introduced themselves as representatives of the modeling industry. It is not yet confirmed whether she attended the hotel party she mentioned to friends.

“There is an assumption that she went to a party,” Anna Kovalchuk told media. “But the promoter who organized these parties said he did not see her.”

Such details have heightened concern among rights advocates, who warn that young women traveling alone to the UAE are sometimes targeted through informal modeling, influencer, or entertainment offers that mask exploitative arrangements.

Broader Context and Ongoing Concerns

Kovalchuk’s case has drawn international attention amid growing scrutiny of sexual exploitation, trafficking, and abuse involving foreign women in Dubai. While the UAE maintains strict public morality laws, critics argue that these same laws can deter victims from reporting abuse, leaving them vulnerable to coercion and silencing.

Supporters and well-wishers have since flooded Kovalchuk’s social media accounts with messages of solidarity. She has not posted publicly since February.

As Ukrainian investigators continue their work, the case raises unresolved questions about accountability, cross-border exploitation, and the protections available to young women recruited or invited into high-risk environments abroad.