First Victim of Serious Car Crash at Hands of Ukrainian Heiress Is Buried

Stock photo of police tape. (Carl Ballou/Shutterstock)

The victim of a car crash that was caused by a Ukrainian oligarch’s daughter was buried in a white gown, and her family said it was because she was deprived of the chance to get married.

The family of 22-year-old Diana Berchenko laid the woman to rest at a funeral in Kharkiv. Five other people perished in the crash after heiress Alyona Zaitseva, 20, ran a red light and hit another vehicle before hitting a crowd of people, MailOnline reported.

Another five people were also injured, including Berchenko’s sister, Oksana.

Family members said the woman was buried in her gown as she was “planning to marry soon but [this] moment was stolen from her,” according to the Mail.

Her father, Igor Berchenko, said that injured Oksana hasn’t been told that she lost her sister or her husband---who was also killed in the crash---due to her medical condition.

He also rejected compensation from Zaitseva’s father, Vasily Zaitseva, who is the CEO of energy company Ukrenergochormet.

“What do I need this compensation for? What should I buy with their money - shoes or trainers, or....?” he said. “What kind of compensation are we talking about? I will have to tell Oksana one day soon that there is no Sasha and no Diana.”

Alyona Zaitseva could face up to 10 years in jail, the Independent reported, and she has been detained for two months until her trial. Lawyers for Zaitseva are “working” with the victims of the families, a legal expert told Vesti Ukraine TV.

“Unfortunately, money can shut many mouths here,” Ivan Liberman, a legal expert, said. “Both injured people and relatives of the deceased can go to a notary office and sign statements that they received compensation and don’t have any claims against the driver,” he added.

“I am sorry that this situation happened and people suffered,” Zaitseva said of the crash, according to the Mirror.

“It is only this that truly concerns me now,” she said. “I am hoping that the families will allow my parents to help them.”

Zaitseva’s family also released a statement: “We are on our knees asking forgiveness for our daughter from the relatives of those who died and were injured in this terrible accident,” The Independent reported.

“All that we can do for the families of the dead, we will do. We have raised funds and are ready to provide all possible financial assistance. This is a terrible grief and there are no words to express the feelings of losing loved ones.”

The statement added: “We hope that the court will deal with this terrible accident, since there were two participants and two cars. We will take any fair decision of the court. This is a terrible grief for those people affected and for us.”