Oksana Makar, Ukraine Rape Victim, Dead From Injuries (WARNING: GRAPHIC VIDEO)

This undated photo taken on a mobile phone and made available by the mother of Oksana Makar, Tetyana Surovitska, shows her daughter Oksana Makar in Nikolaev, Ukraine. (AP Photo)

KIEV, Ukraine -- An 18-year-old Ukranian woman died Thursday, two weeks after her grisly rape set off protests across the country against corruption and favoritism toward the wealthy.

Prosecutors said Oksana Makar was raped by three young men on March 9 in the southern city of Mykolaiv. The men then tried to cover up their crime by strangling her, dumping her naked body at an abandoned construction site and setting her on fire.

Makar miraculously survived and battled for her life for more than two weeks. She suffered burns over more than half of her body and severe damage to her lungs, and her right arm was amputated to stop the gangrene.

WARNING: VIDEO CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGES

Health officials in the eastern city of Donetsk, where she was being treated, said she died Thursday after succumbing to her injuries.

Makar's mother, Tatyana Surovitska, was in shock and declined to speak to The Associated Press.

The crime outraged Ukrainians with its cruelty. It also galvanized a society frustrated with official corruption after police released two of the suspects who had powerful connections in the region. Their release led to nationwide protests, which prompted the authorities to re-arrest the two suspects.

Interior Ministry Volodymyr Polishchuk said Thursday that after Makar's death all three suspects were charged with murder in addition to rape.

WARNING: VIDEO CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGES

Need help? In the U.S., call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) for the National Domestic Violence Hotline.

Comments

[Christian Josi]

09:58 AM on 05/07/2012

Heartbreaking and infuriating. I hope for the family's sake (and for Ukraine's sake as a 'civilized' country) that the three animals are brought to swift justice.

[CAMBEL]

12:48 PM on 04/20/2012

This poor poor woman. I hope that they get life in solatary and the wall of their cell has a huge floor to ceiling image of this picture of her.

[CAMBEL]

12:43 PM on 04/20/2012

Joran Van Der Sloot was let go in Aruba because his father was a judge. In a non violent case, everybody UNDER Rupert Murdoch's son who was an executive was arrested for the phone hacking scandal and yet Murdoch's son wasn't.

This doesn't just happen in Ukraine.

[WashingtonDCsucks]

07:35 PM on 04/09/2012

Sounds like its time for the towns people to have a good ole fashioned necktie party and invite 3 families and all the kin.... not a one of them worth anything at all.
Would also be an idea to invite all the officials involved for a first row introduction to justice as well.

[miller57]

09:50 PM on 04/08/2012

Many humans, like these killers, are worse than the lowest animals.

[daily randy]

04:57 PM on 04/05/2012

How many times through the ages have the common people risen up, demanded change, gained it, and then had it whittled away again by those in power? How many times must we go through this process? Those with wealth and power should not get away easily with crimes like this; rather, they should be condemned and punished harder than the common people because of the position they hold in society due to their wealth and power. I have a son and if I found out he was involved with a crime like this, the last thing I would do is use my money and influence to get him out of jail. I'd let him rot in jail for it.

[who38]

11:08 AM on 04/05/2012

Glad to hear that the two young men from "important families" were re-arrested.  Now let's hope that they are convicted as well.  Maybe Russian justice can lead the way for the US military, who, somehow, acquit all murderers and put them back on the federal payroll..

[Scent]

04:27 PM on 04/05/2012

As a soldier I can olny say: amen to that, man. The crimes committed by the troops are a disgrace on our crumbing facade of moral superiority.

[CAMBEL]

12:44 PM on 04/20/2012

Ukraine is a different country than Russia.

[crumpets]

08:45 AM on 04/05/2012

A civilised society does not allow people like those who did this to her to carry on living.

[TAIsabel]

07:57 AM on 04/05/2012

This crime is the justification for the old "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth". Rape, strangle and burn them.

[ruths]

11:30 AM on 04/04/2012

So very sad. We as women were created with a gift of being able to love and care for others and be able to bring forth another generation of children who we hope will love and care for others. How this went so wrong for some to see women or children only as objects is beyond my understanding. But I think it is time the world woke up to this illness and stamped it out.
Those in charge of bringing safety to our lives have failed. Replace them with others who will care for all.

[healinstruct]

11:20 AM on 04/05/2012

Well at least we're getting God and morality out of our schools. Pesky consciences!

[santafesam]

12:51 PM on 04/05/2012

And what about the consciences of those godly and pious priests raping and abusing young boys?

[luckylily88]

06:51 PM on 04/05/2012

God is not synonymous with morality. There are many immoral Christians, Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists, just as there are many immoral atheists.

[shivabeach]

08:28 AM on 04/04/2012

This world is being held hostage by the wealthy who even in the US can and will get away with whatever they want. Note the crimes Wall street hoisted on us and so few are in prison. Greece is held hostage by the wealthy demanding payment for their debt. These country's like the Ukraine are no different and are even in a more precarious position than we are.

Anyone besides me wonder if the difference between the rich and poor is widening every day? Its by design

[who38]

11:09 AM on 04/05/2012

Exactly.  The performance by the attorney for Douglas Kennedy on CBS yesterday morning is a case in point.

[healinstruct]

11:23 AM on 04/05/2012

Satan is just as prevalent on the far Left. Our free market system made us the greatest, not perfect.

[Sarkazmo]

02:24 AM on 04/04/2012

I hope they execute those three men who did this.

[Wrongway62]

01:22 AM on 04/05/2012

Better to let them rot in prison for a very long time, so they can think about what got them there. Execution lets them off to easily.

[Rawdeal]

01:51 AM on 04/05/2012

Maybe they should get a taste of their own medicine. Allow them to be raped by the notorious in prison and then set them on fire. Sounds harsh but if those low-lifes can dish it out, they can receive it as well.

[crumpets]

08:47 AM on 04/05/2012

In my opinion its not about them. Its about society.
The death penalty sends a pretty clear message that people who do things like this can expect to lose their life. I agree with Sarkazmo - if they are indeed guilty, this warrants execution.

[Ted Bouklos]

12:37 PM on 04/03/2012

Things like this make me not want to live on this planet anymore.

[MaryJane]

01:10 AM on 04/05/2012

It should make you want to change it.

[Alex Goncharenko]

12:01 PM on 04/27/2012

You mean "change it" the same one one changes his place of residency? Yeah, I'd love to do that too.

[dollydimple62]

11:31 AM on 04/03/2012

That poor poor girl and what must her parents be feeling! this is horrible..................

[Jeanette Ulvila]

10:50 AM on 04/03/2012

there needs to be more education on rape. we need to teach them as kids. my kids are 7 and 10 and i already teach them life skills for what they need as adults. respect for all is the main thing i teach them. more need to do the same. parents of boys this is your job.

[who38]

11:11 AM on 04/05/2012

There needs to be more education on group violence as well.  These three, together, may have behaved in a way that none of them would have done had they not been part of a group.  But, now that the deed is done, wonder how long it will take for them to turn on each other?