She was found sitting on a wooden chair in an underground room of a palace in Riad.
Her hands were restrained, her skin bore marks from metal handcuffs.
Her ribs were broken and her body was in a position reminiscent of a staged scene.
There was a massive throne in the room and the walls were lit by dozens of candles.
The owner of the palace, Prince Sultan bin Saud, 40, a member of the royal family, claimed that the woman had died of illness.
But everything the investigators saw suggested otherwise.
Anastasia Kravitz was born and raised in Kiev.
She graduated from school with good grades, received an education in tourism, and began working as a flight attendant for a major international airline.
Her colleagues and loved ones described her as energetic, disciplined, and open to new opportunities.
Working on international flights allowed her to travel, explore new countries, and meet people from different cultures.
In early 2020, she was working on a flight from Kiev to Riyad, where she first met Prince Sultan bin Saud.
For Anastasia, it was just another shift.
But for him, as investigators later determined, it was a moment that changed her life.
Prince Sultan was well known in Riyad.
Born into a high-ranking family, he had access to wealth and power.
But at the same time, he was often the subject of rumors about his behavior.
Over the past few years, he had gained a reputation as a man who used his position to form personal relationships with women from other countries.
Formally, he held honorary positions, but in fact spent most of his time in private residences and at closed events.
Testimonies from acquaintances pointed to his interest in luxurious gifts, expensive interiors, and specific forms of relationships in which women were assigned the role of subordinates.
On board the plane, the sultan noticed Anastasia, complimented her, and after the flight, he managed to get to know her personally.
She took it as normal passenger interest, but in the following weeks, the prince began to seek her attention actively.
He invited her to meetings, offered gifts, and spoke of serious intentions.
In correspondence with her friends, Anastasia noted that she did not expect such attention from a member of the royal family and saw it as a chance to change her life.
A month after they met, she agreed to spend a few days in Riyad at his palace.
She explained to her loved ones that this was an opportunity to build a relationship that could lead to marriage.
The prince promised her a separate wing in the palace and assured her that he intended to make her part of his life.
From that moment on, contact with her gradually began to weaken.
Her parents and friends in Kiev noted that she was responding less and less to calls and messages.
Her last conversation with her mother took place in mid-March 2020.
She said that everything was fine and that she had a lot to do.
After that, contact was lost.
At first, her loved ones did not attach any importance to this, thinking that she was busy.
But as the weeks went by, and she did not get in touch, they began to worry.
Attempts to contact her employer confirmed that Anastasia had not been showing up for work.
No official statements were made in the media, but her family began searching for ways to locate her through diplomatic channels via the Ukrainian consulate.
The palace in the Almarrage neighborhood where she was staying was one of the Sultan’s private residences.
It was a building known among locals as a place for private receptions.
When the investigation began, it became clear that only the prince’s closest aids and security guards had access to it.
For 2 months, there were no reports of Anastasia’s disappearance in Saudi Arabia, and any attempts to officially initiate an investigation were met with resistance.
It was only thanks to pressure from her family and the involvement of Ukrainian diplomats that access was granted to inspect the premises.
The discovery of the underground room was the result of a targeted search.
It did not appear on the palace plans and the door was hidden behind a massive wardrobe.
Descending into the room, investigators saw a space that resembled a private ritual hall.
The central element was a throne surrounded by candlesticks.
Anastasia’s body was sitting on a wooden chair.
She was dressed in a long dress.
Her hands were fixed in place, and there were marks on her skin from prolonged pressure from metal objects.
A forensic examination found multiple rib fractures and signs of suffocation.
Everything pointed to a violent death.
Prince Sultan claimed that the girl had died of illness and that he had allegedly tried to preserve her body in a respectable manner.
However, the examination and the evidence found contradicted his words.
Officials in Riad attempted to limit the spread of information.
And for the family in Kiev, the investigation turned into a series of diplomatic obstacles and attempts to achieve justice in a situation where a member of the royal family was involved in the case.
After the body was found in an underground room of the palace, the situation took on an international dimension.
The Saudi authorities initially tried to limit the spread of information, framing it as a private family incident, but the nature of the evidence found made it impossible to close the case.
The Ukrainian embassy in Riad officially appealed to the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Interior, demanding an independent investigation and a full report on the investigation.
In response, the Saudi side stated that all necessary measures had already been taken and that Anastasia Kravit’s death was considered natural due to a sudden deterioration in her health.
This formal response contradicted the conclusions of the doctors, which were drawn up on the spot immediately after the underground room was opened.
Doctors recorded multiple rib fractures in Anastasia, which could only have been caused by intense pressure.
There were characteristic marks on her hands from handcuffs or other metal restraints, indicating prolonged confinement.
Internal injuries and marks on the skin ruled out the possibility of natural death.
The examination also showed signs of asphyxiation, which according to experts was the cause of death.
These results were recorded in a confidential report that was not published, but copies of it were sent to the Ukrainian side through diplomatic channels.
It was based on these materials that the family in Kiev began to demand that the incident be classified as murder openly.
A search of the palace revealed additional circumstances.
In the room where the body was found, in addition to the throne and candles, investigators found traces of wax on the floor.
remnants of ropes and metal fasteners fixed in the walls.
Women’s items were found in a nearby closet, dresses, shoes, and personal items belonging to Anastasia.
In a separate room of the palace, investigators found documents, including her passport and unused airline tickets.
All of this indicated that the girl was completely isolated and had no way of leaving the residence.
The interrogation of the palace guards and staff turned out to be a formality.
None of them admitted to seeing Anastasia after she entered the residence.
Some of the employees claimed that they did not know about the existence of the underground room.
Others stated outright that they could not testify against the prince as this would put their own lives and families at risk.
This factor made the investigation effectively one-sided.
All the power was on the side of the suspect.
At the same time, the evidence gathered directly pointed to his involvement.
The Ukrainian side tried to bring the case to a broader international level by involving European diplomatic structures and appealing to representatives of human rights organizations.
Protests were held in Kiev demanding an investigation into the circumstances of Anastasia Kravit’s death.
However, Saudi Arabia’s official statements remained unchanged.
The illness version was repeated without specifying the specific diagnosis while the results of independent examinations were not published.
The girl’s family faced a lack of direct mechanisms to put pressure on the Saudi judicial system, which in such cases does not allow external interference.
Particular attention was drawn to the fact that Prince Sultan had previously been at the center of scandals involving relationships with foreign women.
In several cases, there were reports of girls suddenly disappearing, but no official investigation was ever conducted.
Confidential reports from diplomatic services described a pattern of behavior in which women involved in relationships with him were deprived of their freedom of movement and subjected to physical and psychological pressure.
In Anastasia’s case, these facts manifested themselves in the most obvious way, ending in tragedy.
Local authorities restricted journalists access to materials and attempts by foreign correspondents to obtain accreditation to cover the case were rejected.
Throughout the summer of 2020, the case was discussed exclusively in diplomatic circles.
It remained closed to the public in Saudi Arabia.
In Kiev, however, the story became the subject of open protests with demands that those responsible be brought to justice and the body returned to its homeland.
Negotiations on repatriation dragged on.
The Saudi side insisted on holding the funeral in Riad under the control of the prince’s family, which effectively deprived his relatives of the opportunity to attend.
Only after months and under pressure from international organizations was the body handed over to Ukraine.
An essential element was that during the search, investigators found evidence that the room under the palace had been used previously.
Traces of candles, remnants of clothing, and metal fasteners indicated that Anastasia may not have been the only victim of such actions.
However, no other bodies or direct evidence were found.
This fact remained recorded in the closed case files and became a topic of discussion among diplomats, but was not officially confirmed.
Anastasia Kravitz was born in Kiev into a middle-class family.
She attended high school, spoke English, and later obtained a degree in tourism.
Her job as a flight attendant provided her with a stable income and the opportunity to travel.
Her parents described her as independent but at the same time trusting and inclined to embrace new opportunities without critically analyzing the risks.
Her friend said that she had serious plans for the future.
She dreamed of opening her own agency or continuing her aviation career.
The family had no financial problems, but their standard of living did not allow for significant investments, so working on international flights seemed like a chance for her to get ahead.
Prince Sultan bin Saud came from a side branch of the royal family.
He did not hold any official government posts, but he had access to finances and special status.
Among his entourage, he had a reputation as a man with sudden mood swings, capable of cruelty.
Sources from his security circle later claimed that he had a penchant for controlling women and a peculiar perception of relationships where his partner had to play the role of an accessory to his status.
In private conversations, he called such relationships a gift to women, emphasizing that providing a palace or money should be seen as compensation for the loss of freedom.
Outside Riyad, his behavior was not discussed publicly, but within the country, he was dogged by a trail of scandals that were hushed up thanks to his family’s influence.
The meeting on the flight from Kiev to Riyad marked the beginning of Anastasia’s rapid involvement in his circle.
The Sultan complimented her, sent an invitation through his assistant after the flight, and suggested they meet that same day.
She agreed and a few weeks later he asked her to live in his residence.
According to a friend whom Anastasia called from Riad, the prince spoke of a palace that would become her home and assured her that he was ready to declare her his wife officially.
For a young woman from Ukraine, this seemed like a unique opportunity and she decided to stay.
The first weeks in the palace seemed like a display of luxury.
She was given expensive jewelry, shown rooms with marble finishes and a separate wing where she could live.
However, the situation changed quite quickly.
She was forbidden to leave the palace on her own and her phone was kept under the control of the security guards.
Contact with her family became rare and later ceased altogether.
According to palace employees, access to her rooms was restricted.
According to security guards, the Sultan spent time with her in the palace’s underground rooms.
There was a room there that would later become the place where her body was found.
In this room stood a throne, and the walls were decorated with symbolic objects, candlesticks, carpets, carved chairs.
This is where the prince took anastasia, forcing her to remain in a fixed position for hours.
A medical examination established that the rib fractures were caused by blows or pressure, most likely while she was being held in a chair with restraints.
Marks on her hands indicated prolonged use of handcuffs.
According to one reconstruction of events, a conflict arose in the last days of her life.
Anastasia demanded to be allowed to contact her family and leave the palace, at least temporarily.
The prince perceived this as disobedience.
As a result, she was forcibly held in an underground room.
Blows to the body and broken ribs indicate physical violence.
The examination also confirmed signs of suffocation, either by hands or with the help of fabric or metal restraints.
This happened a few days before the body was found.
After her death, the body was not buried.
Instead, it was left in an underground room in a position on display.
According to investigators, it looked like a staged scene.
She was placed in a chair surrounded by candles, leaving the body intact.
This was consistent with the prince’s habits, who, according to witnesses, viewed women as part of his property and preferred to maintain complete control even after their death.
These circumstances shocked Ukrainian diplomats who were the first to receive the experts report.
It stated that death was not the result of illness as the prince claimed, but of asphyxiation combined with severe injuries.
However, it proved impossible to have this version recognized in official Saudi documents.
The case was classified and charges against a member of the royal family were not considered in court.
After moving to the palace in the Almaruj district, Anastasia did indeed perceive the first few days as the promised new stage of life.
She had a separate suite of rooms with her own bathroom, dressing room, and small living room.
She wrote to a friend in Kiev that it was like a hotel only with private security at the door.
In the first few weeks, she was allowed to call her parents, but all conversations took place in front of security guards.
Over time, the calls became less frequent and then the communication stopped altogether.
Servants and security guards later testified that after the first week of her stay, Anastasia’s passport and phone were effectively taken away.
All her correspondence was monitored.
A separate notebook found during a search contained short notes in Russian.
They forbid me to call.
They say the wedding is coming soon.
They won’t let me out.
These notes were dated March 2020.
Sultan bin Saud increasingly took her to the underground level of the palace.
There was a closed room there that was not marked on the official plans of the building.
It contained a massive carved throne and the walls were hung with carpets.
There were traces of wax on the floor.
Candles burned almost constantly.
According to the investigation, this is where the girl was held captive.
The rib fractures revealed during the autopsy were consistent with several strong blows or pressure.
Experts concluded that Anastasia was beaten with fists or knees to the chest.
Judging by the nature of the injuries, this happened more than once.
There were deep marks on her wrists from metal bracelets, standard handcuffs attached to the walls.
Forensic doctors indicated that such marks are formed during prolonged confinement in a fixed position.
A reconstruction of the last days shows that in early April 2020, a conflict arose between them.
Anastasia insisted that she wanted to return to Kiev for at least a few days.
She asked to be allowed to contact her mother.
According to a guard who was interviewed anonymously, screams and blows were heard in the basement that evening.
The next day, no one saw her.
An examination confirmed that death was caused by asphyxiation.
Signs of suffocation with soft tissue or hands were found in the lungs.
The combination of injuries, broken ribs, bruises on the face, marks from restraining the hands, ruled out an accident.
She died as a result of violent actions.
After her death, the prince ordered that the body be left in the room on a chair surrounded by candles.
The body was not buried.
The official version announced later was that she died of a sudden illness.
But the medical data did not confirm this.
All the palace servants claimed that they were strictly forbidden to enter the underground rooms.
Those who had seen the girl at least once in the last few weeks said that she looked emaciated and frightened.
She had a lost look in her eyes and hardly spoke.
The palace guards refused to give official testimony.
One former employee speaking on condition of anonymity told diplomats that this was not the first time for the prince.
He recounted instances when women were brought to the underground room and later disappeared somewhere.
These words remained only verbal testimony, but they coincided with what investigators found during a search.
old wax marks, remnants of women’s clothing, and metal fasteners installed in the walls long before Anastasia’s arrival.
For the family in Kayv, it all looked like a sudden break in contact.
She last called her mother a week before her death.
She only said that everything is fine, but I can’t talk for long.
After that, her number was unavailable.
Thus, the last weeks of her life were spent in isolation under the control of security guards with gradually increasing pressure.
In the end, there was conflict, brutal violence, and death by suffocation.
According to investigators, Anastasia Kravitz died in the first days of April 2020, approximately between the 3rd and 5th.
The exact date could not be established due to the late discovery of the body and the lack of a transparent investigation by the Saudi authorities.
However, a combination of security guard testimony and medical data made it possible to piece together the last hours of her life.
That morning, Anastasia demanded to speak to her mother on the phone.
She insisted that she should be able to talk to her family at least once a week.
The security guards relayed this request to Prince Sultan bin Saud.
According to one of the palace employees on duty at the time, the prince reacted sharply to the request.
He regarded it as an attempt to undermine order.
In the afternoon, the girl was forcibly taken to an underground room.
There were restraints and a carved throne there.
Experts later determined that she had spent at least several hours in handcuffs that day.
The marks on her wrists were fresh and deep with bruising under the skin.
This confirms prolonged and painful restraint.
Towards evening, screams were heard in the room.
The prince’s guards were stationed in the neighboring rooms of the palace.
According to one of them, they listened to a woman’s voice and blows, but no one dared to intervene.
Soon, the screams stopped.
A forensic medical examination recorded multiple rib fractures.
According to experts, they were caused by a series of blows to the torso.
This happened in a short period of time, which means that it was a deliberate beating.
There were abrasions and bruises on her face.
Experts determined the cause of death to be asphixxiation.
Traces of soft fibers were found in the respiratory tract, indicating that fabric or clothing was used to block her breathing.
It is possible that her face was pressed against a surface or her mouth and nose were covered with fabric.
The time between the blows and death was no more than a few minutes.
The medical report clearly stated that the death was violent.
After death, the body was not moved.
It was seated in a wooden chair.
The hands were left in a fixed position and candles were lit around them.
Spilled wax was later found on the floor.
It looked like a staging, but upon examination, it became clear that it was indeed a staging and not a funeral ritual.
Witnesses from among the staff later claimed that after the incident, they were strictly forbidden from entering the basement.
Only the prince himself and a few of his closest associates had access to it.
For several weeks, the body remained in the same position.
Officially, the prince stated that Anastasia suddenly felt unwell and died of illness.
This version was immediately rejected by experts who pointed to injuries incompatible with natural causes.
In fact, on the day of her death, the following occurred.
A dispute over the right to communicate with her family.
a brutal beating, suffocation, and death in an underground room of the palace.
All actions pointed to the prince’s direct involvement.
However, due to his status, the case was not brought to trial.
After the discovery of the body and the initial conclusions of the forensic doctors, the investigation reached a dead end.
The Saudi side categorically insisted on the version of a sudden illness despite all the facts.
The case was not brought to court and Prince Sultan bin Saud himself did not suffer any official consequences.
This came as a shock to Anastasia’s family.
They had hoped that international pressure would at least force the Saudi Arabian authorities to acknowledge the murder.
Ukrainian diplomats in Riad sent notes of protest.
Demonstrations were held in Kiev demanding that the body be returned to its homeland.
The repatriation dragged on for almost 3 months.
The Saudi side tried to insist on burial in Riad, citing proximity to the prince’s family.
Only thanks to the intervention of several international human rights organizations and personal negotiations with Ukrainian officials was the body returned to Kiev.
The funeral took place in the summer of 2020 at one of Kiev’s cemeteries.
The ceremony was attended by relatives, colleagues, and journalists.
The parents made a short statement.
They demanded justice, but understood that due to the suspect’s status, the likelihood of real punishment was minimal.
Diplomatic documents that later came into the possession of the press stated explicitly, “Sultan bin Saud is responsible for the death of Anastasia Kravitz, but due to his immunity and position in the royal family, the case has no legal prospects.
In fact, the investigation was closed without an indictment.
Journalists who tried to cover the case faced restrictions in Saudi Arabia.
Most publications about the tragedy appeared abroad.
Within the country, the topic remained closed.
For the family, it all ended formally.
They received their daughter’s body and the conclusion of independent experts about her violent death.
But no punishment followed for the guilty party.
The prince continued to lead his former lifestyle.
The story of Anastasia Kravitz became an example of how status and power can completely rule out the possibility of a fair investigation.
On paper, the case was closed with the wording natural death.
But the facts, broken ribs, handcuff marks, suffocation, and the staging of the body in the palace basement remain forever as evidence that this was a premeditated murder for which no one was held accountable.
