Models detained in Dubai for flouting public decency laws are mainly from Ukraine, it has emerged.
All are understood to be from the ex-Soviet Union including Russia, Belarus and Moldova.
A Russian man detained and named as an organiser of the ‘lewd’ shoot on a balcony in the United Arab Emirates has been identified by the Moscow media as Alexey Kontsov, 33, a Russian citizen.
It is understood he told police he was in a nearby apartment and had filmed the spectacle showing the naked women.
He claims to have then made the ‘fatal mistake’ of sharing the explicit video, a potential crime in the UAE.
He has hired lawyers to call for his release from a Dubai jail.
Russian media outlet Life, a media group controlled by Vladimir Putin’s suspected partner and former Olympic gymnast Alina Kabaeva, reported some 40 models were involved in a project which has caused major upset in Dubai.
Fewer were visible on the naked rear picture that sparked fury in the UAE. It could lead to large fines or six months in jail for those who took part.
In this picture, at least 19 women can be seen preparing for the naked shoot, which was reportedly for an Israeli porn site
The second image shows nine nude women standing on a balcony in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
The shoot on Saturday was on a balcony in the upscale Dubai Marina area and was seen by people from neighbouring skyscrapers.
Some of those taking part in the naked video are understood to be visible in a group picture – captioned ‘Little Family’ – showing their faces.
Two Ukrainians in their mid-20s — named Yana and Diana, seen riding a camel, on their Instagram accounts – can be identified in the lurid balcony picture from their distinctive tattoos.
Both are on the ‘Little Family’ picture.
Another Ukrainian model Dariya Khorunzhenko, 19, from Poltava, is known to be among the group in the graphic photograph.
Ukrainian models Ekaterina Kashenko, who is also an eyebrow stylist, and Sophia Tkachuk, are among the group.
All the identified Ukrainian models had posted videos or images from Dubai on their social media.
Russian online news outlet Mash reported that the photoshoot also included the daughter of a Russian businessman and former banker.
The woman, 21, denied being at the Dubai shoot on Monday.
All the 40-strong group of women are believed to age from late teens to early 20s.
The UAE’s public decency laws, which cover nudity and other ‘lewd behaviour’, carries penalties of up to six months in prison and a 5,000 dirham (£983) fine.
The sharing of pornographic material is also punishable with prison time and a fine of up to 500,000 dirhams under the country’s laws, which are based on Islamic law, or Shariah.
There has been speculation that the women were involved in a shoot for an Israeli version of an unidentified US adult website.
A group of people have been arrested by Dubai police after women (pictured) were spotted posing naked on a balcony in the city
The 15 models in the naked photoshoot (pictured) were part of a publicity stunt for an Israeli website
Late on Saturday, videos and photographs depicting over a dozen naked women lined up on a balcony while being filmed in Dubai’s upmarket Marina neighbourhood in broad daylight were splashed across social media.
It came as a shock in the federation of seven Arab sheikhdoms, where tamer behaviour – like kissing in public or drinking alcohol without a licence – has landed people in jail.
State-linked newspaper The National reported it appeared to be a ‘publicity stunt,’ without elaborating.
Dubai police said those arrested over the ‘indecent’ video had been referred to the public prosecution.
‘Such unacceptable behaviours,’ the police statement said, ‘do not reflect the values and ethics of Emirati society.’
The UAE, while liberal in many regards compared to its Middle Eastern neighbours, has strict laws governing expression.
People have been jailed for their comments and videos online.
The country’s majority state-owned telecom companies block access to major pornographic websites.
Violations of the public decency laws, including for nudity and other ‘lewd behaviour’, carry penalties of up to six months in prison and a 5,000 dirham (£983) fine
Dubai police confirmed those arrested over the ‘indecent’ video had been referred to the public prosecution
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