Ukrainian woman comforted by friends
Julia Kushnir, who is a 32-year-old mother-of-two, is said to be traumatised by the crash, the loss of a close working colleague and by the false early reports she was a teenage prostitute. Sources close to her said last night Ms Kushnir would issue a statement today. She is back in Prague, where she worked with Mr Lawlor on a number of projects over some years.
Ms Kushnir, who speaks fluent English, Czech and Russian, travelled with Mr Lawlor to Moscow for a meeting with Russian business associates involved in property dealing in Prague. Irish business people in Prague were contacted by associates of Ms Kushnir following her release from hospital on Sunday afternoon. They have been asked for advice on how to help deal with the aftermath of the crash and particularly the interest from Ireland.
Ms Kushnir suffered back injuries in the crash early on Saturday morning on the main road between the international airport and Moscow city centre.
It is known Ms Kushnir acted as a translator and adviser to Mr Lawlor for some years. She was known to the family and met the former politician’s wife, Hazel, on a number of occasions.
Friends of the family described her as a “very, very well educated” woman who spoke great English. The family knew she was travelling with Mr Lawlor to Moscow to act as an interpreter and knew immediately that the reports were “completely incorrect.”
