A tragic victim from an appalling car crash when an oligarch’s daughter’s Lexus smashed into pedestrians at a street crossing has been buried in a white bridal gown – because she was deprived of the chance to marry.
Diana Berchenko, 22, was laid to rest in an emotional funeral in Kharkiv, Ukraine, as relatives who have refused compensation bid farewell to their loved one.
She was the sixth fatality from an appalling accident after 20-year-old glamorous heiress Alyona Zaitseva jumped a red light and collided with another car before mowing down the helpless crowd.
Another five were seriously injured, among them her sister Oksana, 27, who lost her 27-year-old husband Alexander, known as Sasha, as well as her beloved sister.
A relative emotionally leans over the coffin of Diana Berchenko, whose bridal gown can be seen
Diana Berchenko, 22, was laid to rest in an emotional funeral in Kharkiv, Ukraine, as relatives who have refused compensation bid farewell to their loved one
Diana, pictured, was the sixth fatality from an appalling accident after 20-year-old glamorous heiress Alyona Zaitseva jumped a red light and collided with another car before mowing down the helpless crowd
Alyona Zaitseva is pictured here. She caused carnage when she ran a red light in Ukraine
Diana, pictured here with her boyfriend, has been buried in a white bridal gown – because she was deprived of the chance to marry
Videos of the carnage went viral and a witness said the scene was like a ‘war zone’.
Family members said Diana was buried in a wedding dress because ‘she had been planning to marry soon but moment this was stolen from her’ with her shocking death.
Relatives were seen on a video kissing her farewell as her body lay in an open coffin at the graveside shortly before it was lowered the ground.
Her distraught father Igor Berchenko, 55, said that two weeks after the horror his other daughter Oksana has not been told that she lost her husband and sister due to her condition.
He also angrily rejected an offer of compensation from the father of the heiress.
‘Nobody will bring us back our Diana,’ he said.
‘I can’t say more than that.
‘What do I need this compensation for? What should I buy with their money – shoes or trainers, or….?
‘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.’
He said Oksana ‘is gradually getting better, and she repeats all the time: ‘Give me the phone, I want to call Sasha.
‘Where is my Diana?
‘Why is Sasha is not calling me?’
Family members said Diana, pictured here, was buried in a wedding dress because ‘she had been planning to marry soon but moment this was stolen from her’ with her shocking death
Reports say oligarch Vasily Zaitseva is ready to spend £1.1 million in compensation, hoping that by doing so he will reduce or negate any prison sentence for dangerous driving for his daughter, pictured here
She is now in a held in a crowded detention cell like the one picture here with nine other women, including those suspected of murder
Dmitry Kholod, deputy head of detention facility number 27 in Kharkiv picture here, said Ms Zaitseva had wept for two days after the tragic crash in the 40 square metre cell
Another bereaved woman Lyudmila Farbis – who lost her daughter and granddaughter Alla and Anastasia Sokol – refused to meet the heiress’s mother Tatiana, 40.
‘Her mother to see us,’ she said.
‘I did not want to meet her.
‘We want nothing from them, no money can compensate the loss of both my girls.’
Reports say oligarch Vasily Zaitseva is ready to spend £1.1 million in compensation, hoping that by doing so he will reduce or negate any prison sentence for dangerous driving for his daughter.
She is now in a held in a crowded detention cell with nine other women, including those suspected of murder.
Dmitry Kholod, deputy head of detention facility number 27 in Kharkiv, said Ms Zaitseva had wept for two days after the tragic crash in the 40 square metre cell.
‘Of course, her psychological state on the first day was hard, and a psychologist was working with her,’ he revealed.
‘But two days afterwards – and she was no longer crying.
‘There haven’t been complaints from her. She’s quiet.’
He said: ‘All those with her are suspected in grave and specially grave crimes.’