Kseniya Alexandrova, a 30-year-old Russian model and Miss Universe 2017 contestant, died on August 12, just four months after her wedding. The former Miss Russia 2017 first runner-up suffered severe brain injuries sustained in a car accident in Tver Oblast, Russia, the New York Post reported. The incident happened on July 5 when Alexandrova and her husband were driving home from Rzhev when their car collided with an elk that suddenly darted onto the road. Alexandrova was in the passenger seat at the time, while her husband was driving.
The impact left Alexandrova unconscious, with her husband recalling the scene as "covered in blood."
"From the moment it jumped out to the impact, a split second passed. I didn't have time to do anything. The elk flew into the car. The blow hit Ksyusha in the head. She was unconscious, her head was broken, everything was covered in blood,” her husband told Russian outlet Rossiyskaya Gazeta in a statement.
The grieving husband described the devastating impact of the collision, recalling how the elk's legs pierced the windshield of their sports car, shattering the front of his wife's skull. Despite the swift response of other drivers and emergency services, Alexandrova's injuries were too severe. She was rushed to a Moscow hospital, where she later died due to her injuries.
Alexandrova had only married her husband four months earlier, on March 22 and shared a photograph from her wedding on Instagram.
Notably, she represented Russia in the 2017 Miss Universe pageant and was also the first runner-up in the Miss Russia competition that year. Additionally, Alexandrova was a qualified psychologist, having graduated from Moscow Pedagogical State University.
Following her death, her modelling agency, Modus Vivendis, shared a statement confirming her death on Instagram on August 13.
"It is with great sadness that we inform you that our colleague and friend, model Kseniya Alexandrova, passed away yesterday evening. Kseniya was bright and talented. She knew how to inspire, support, and give warmth to everyone around her. For us, she will forever remain a symbol of beauty, kindness and inner strength," the agency wrote.
"We sincerely mourn and express our deepest condolences to her family, friends and everyone who had the good fortune to know Kseniya," the statement concluded.
