Global Edition
Global Edition
UK Edition
EU Edition
US Edition

Understand the story, not the spin.

Markets

Influencer Dies After Butt Lift in Moscow Clinic

Published 5 January 2026

Yulia Burtseva, a 38-year-old social media influencer based in Naples, Italy, died on January 4 after undergoing a butt lift procedure at a private clinic in Moscow, Russia. The Russian-born content creator, who had amassed over 73,000 followers on Instagram by sharing glimpses of her family life, experienced a rapid deterioration in her condition shortly after receiving injections during the surgery and was rushed to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Burtseva, who lived with her Italian husband Giuseppe and their young daughter, had traveled from Italy to Moscow the day before the procedure at Elmas Clinic on Tokmakov Lane. According to reports from Russian media outlet MSK1, she filmed a video that morning at Moscow's Cafe Pushkin, posting it to the Russian social media platform VK with the caption "Good morning Moscow." Her last Instagram update, on December 5, featured a video with her daughter, which has since drawn an outpouring of condolences from followers. One commented, "How unpredictable life is," while another wrote, "God, her daughter is now without her mommy. My condolences to her family and friends."

Authorities responded swiftly to the incident. The...

Now playing
0:00 / 0:00