Former Miss Universe Russia Kseniya Alexandrova has died aged 30, weeks after being critically injured in a car accident.
The model and beauty queen, who represented Russia at the Miss Universe pageant in 2017, passed away following severe injuries sustained in July.
According to Russian media, Alexandrova was travelling with her husband in the Tver region when their car struck a moose that had wandered onto the road. She was seated in the passenger seat at the time of the crash.
The collision left her with a serious brain injury, and she was admitted to the intensive care unit of the Sklifosovsky Research Institute in Moscow, where she had remained under critical care until her death.
Early career and pageant success
Born in Moscow, Alexandrova began modelling at 19 with the Modus Vivendi agency. She gained national recognition when she was crowned Miss Universe Russia 2017, going on to represent her country in the international competition in Las Vegas the same year.
Her agency confirmed her death in a statement shared on social media. “With deep sorrow, we announce that our colleague and friend, model Kseniya Alexandrova, passed away last night,” it said. “She was brilliant, talented, and extraordinarily radiant. She will always be a symbol of beauty, kindness, and inner strength for us.”
Tributes and personal life
The Miss Universe Organisation paid tribute with a video montage on Instagram, calling Alexandrova “a source of kindness, strength, and love” who left a lasting impression worldwide.
“The Miss Universe family and people all over the world will never forget her ease, beauty, and spirit,” the organisation wrote.
Fans also flooded social media with condolences. “One of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen on stage,” one user commented. Another wrote: “Such a beautiful tribute, may she rest in peace.”
Alexandrova had recently married in March 2025. In earlier years she was linked to Mexican actor and activist Eduardo Verástegui, though he has not commented publicly on her death.
Beyond modelling
Alongside her modelling career, Alexandrova pursued academic achievements. She earned a finance degree at Plekhanov Russian University of Economics and later graduated from Moscow Pedagogical University in 2021, after which she began working as a psychologist.
Her colleagues described her as someone who could “motivate, help, and make people feel good around her”.
Alexandrova’s death has cast a shadow over the Russian fashion and pageant world, where she was remembered not only for her beauty but also for her warmth and determination.