29 November 2023, 10:25
Turkish police have launched a double murder investigation after a top Russian model and her teenage daughter were gunned down at a holiday resort.
Russian model Irina Dvizova, 42, and her 15-year-old daughter Dayana were found wrapped in sheets and tied with rope on a hillside outside Bodrum.
The double killing has sparked an international manhunt as Irina’s five-year-old son Makar is missing.
Read More: Russia launches most intense drone attack on Ukraine since start of war
Read More: Russia ‘sends migrants over border with EU to Finland on scooters and bikes’ to destabilise Europe
One of the Turkish police’s leading theories is that the double killing could be linked to a custody dispute over Irina’s son.
In June the model had sought a court order to prevent her ex-husband, Lithuanian Andrey Kuslevich, 45, from having access to the boy.
Police have reportedly sought help from Interpol in tracking Kuslevich and the boy who is believed to be with him.
Irina and her daughter were reported missing several days ago after friends and relatives could not contact them.
The mum-of-three recently worked as an estate agent in Bodrum, according to reports.
Her daughter was a TikToker with around 30,000 subscribers and aimed to follow in her mum’s footsteps as a model.
Dayana had recently posted a video on social networks saying she and her mother had flown to Istanbul to celebrate her 15th birthday.
Kuslevich, Irina’s second husband, was a security guard for a Ukrainian businessman.
He was wanted in Russia after escaping from custody after he had been arrested for an alleged theft.Irina’s elder son David, 20, said his mother “did not allow him to communicate with the child [Makar].”
He said: “The last time I spoke with my mother and sister was on Thursday.
“I did not notice any disturbing thoughts in my mother.”
Emily Foster is a globe-trotting journalist based in the UK. Her articles offer readers a global perspective on international events, exploring complex geopolitical issues and providing a nuanced view of the world’s most pressing challenges.