Journalist Talks to Medic Girl Allegedly “Shot in the Neck” by Sniper During Euromaidan. Wound May Have Been Staged

Journalist Vasily Krutchak spoke with Olesya Zhukovskaya, posing as Andriy Parubiy's aide Vitaliy Opanasenko.

Journalist Vasily Krutchak conducted an investigation, which shows that the story of Olesya Zhukovskaya, a medic wounded in the neck by a sniper bullet on February 20, 2014, during the police dispersal of Euromaidan, turned out to be staged. Vasily Krutchak handed the corresponding video to TK Media.

On February 20, 2014, photos of Olesya Zhukovskaya, who worked as a medic on the Maidan and was holding her bleeding neck, spread across the media. Journalists reported that the girl had been wounded in the neck by a sniper bullet. Already in the ambulance, Zhukovskaya managed to write a tweet: “I am dying,” which spread widely on social media. However, the girl was saved. 

The ambulance driver who saved Zhukovskaya turned out to be Andriy Palchevsky: a Ukrainian businessman, politician and owner of the Eurolab clinic.

“You have to be a complete bitch to shoot children,” Palchevsky told journalists after Zhukovskaya was taken to hospital, saying he had been on the Maidan when he saw a girl caught in sniper fire being carried.

According to journalist Vasily Krutchak, based on his sources, the story of Olesya Zhukovskaya was a staged event created by members of the team of then Euromaidan commandant Andriy Parubiy, because they “needed a female victim who could evoke sympathy in society.” Olesya Zhukovskaya herself had undergone neck surgery before the events on the Maidan.

To verify this information, Vasily Krutchak called Olesya Zhukovskaya, posing as Andriy Parubiy's man Vitaliy Opanasenko.

As follows from the recording of the conversation, Olesya Zhukovskaya was not surprised that representatives of Andriy Parubiy might try to contact her. “Vitaliy Opanasenko” told Zhukovskaya that he had an important conversation for the girl, since the State Bureau of Investigation had opened a criminal case over the events during Euromaidan and wanted to recognize the Revolution of Dignity as a “coup d'état.” The journalist told the girl that testimony had been given about her, and that the investigators themselves wanted to conduct an examination of the origin of her neck wound.

Also, “Vitaliy Opanasenko” suggested the girl go to the US for a year to study in order to “sit it out,” and promised to help her get admitted to a university. The girl agreed and said she viewed the idea positively.

From the conversation between the journalist and Olesya Zhukovskaya

Journalist Krutchak: Just understand. If they summon you now, question you and conduct an examination of your wound, problems may arise not only for you but for other people too. Do you understand, yes?
Olesya Zhukovskaya: Yes, I understand. 

“Vitaliy Opanasenko” offered her a place at one of the medical institutions in the US. In turn, Olesya Zhukovskaya clarified that she does not know English well.

The journalist also asked the girl to tell him if investigators from the SBI contacted her, to communicate with them only by phone, and promised to send a lawyer in her place. Olesya Zhukovskaya gave her consent. 

From the conversation between the journalist and Olesya Zhukovskaya

Journalist Krutchak: We don't know who gave testimony about you. It's some secret witness, as they say. But he claims that the origin of the wound did not come from a shot. Do you understand, yes?
Olesya Zhukovskaya: Yes.

Journalist Krutchak: And if this comes to light, it will be a very serious scandal, and many people will really have huge problems, including you, since you took part in all of this. It's frightening. Don't worry, I have direct contact with Andriy Parubiy. If anything happens, call me right away. 

Olesya Zhukovskaya: What's your name?

Journalist Krutchak: My name is Vitaliy Opanasenko. If you see that someone is following you, or unfamiliar people are near your house, call me right away. 

Olesya Zhukovskaya: All right, thank you, goodbye.

The journalist also attached a comment from Andriy Palchevsky, which he gave in an interview several years after the events on the Maidan. 

Andriy Palchevsky
politician, Euromaidan participant

The Revolution of Dignity was actually a “Revolution of Absurdity,” and it is very painful for me to say this, because I actively took part in it. I was an ambulance driver, I drove every day, and I saved this Lesya who was hit by a bullet, this strange girl. Later it turned out it was not exactly a bullet and she was not exactly dying, but she managed to write “Goodbye, mom, I'm dying” everywhere.