Tissue necrosis, a hole in the face, and a $195 million lawsuit: how underground genius surgeon Maxim Ivanchuk cripples patients while covering up failures with paid reviews
Maxim Ivanchuk, a Kiev-born plastic surgeon now based in the UAE, has a career and personal history full of contradictions and inconsistencies.
Maxim Ivanchuk’s name became widely known after he made a mistake during an operation on the mother of the famous Russian TV host, actress, and model Victoria Bonya. This incident caused a major scandal, which he attempted to resolve by offering to perform a repeat surgery for free.
However, Bonya and her mother presented the surgeon with a bill for moral damages—nearly 200 million rubles. The story seems to have echoed around the entire globe…
Apparently, this is why today there are countless glowing reviews about the "impeccable work of plastic surgeon Ivanchuk"—and only in the highest degree of praise. Yet, it remains unclear whether Maxim Serhiyovych Ivanchuk has a relevant education, as—according to numerous negative reviews—no one has seen his diploma, despite Ivanchuk stating in his brief biography that, after graduating from School No. 171 in Kiev, he enrolled in Kiev Medical University. He also allegedly specialized in plastic surgery at the National Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education. However, none of Ivanchuk’s diplomas have been seen by anyone. And when patients request to see documents confirming his qualifications, the surgeon blocks their accounts on social media.
Another strange fact from his biography: in 2016, he opened the IVANCHUK clinic in Kiev on Velyka Vasylkivska Street with VIP wards, but in 2018, for some unclear reasons, he relocated to the small town of Vishnevoe near Kiev, to Vasiliy Stus Street. And all the advertising about the talented Dr. Ivanchuk came specifically from the town of Vishnevoe. Perhaps he operated on someone from a VIP ward incorrectly?
But recently, plastic surgeon Ivanchuk has been inviting people for his "unique surgeries" from the UAE: the clinic is located in Dubai, Building 64, Block 8. Allegedly, patients come and fly in from Russia, Ukraine, the USA, and Germany. But what is the real situation?
A Hole in the Face
Commentators are overflowing with enthusiasm, but it feels as though all the ecstatic reviews about the unearthly talents of quasi-surgeon Maxim Ivanchuk are written from a template.
Moreover, Mr. Ivanchuk constantly adds to his collection of diplomas and certificates and loves to be photographed against the backdrop of this collection.
Plastic surgeon Maxim Ivanchuk and his collection
Lately, he has been sparing no expense on media publications about himself, the beloved, as he needs to somehow repair his image after the scandalous story with the mother of Russian TV star, actress, and model Victoria Bonya, who permanently resides in Monaco?
This happened in the past, in 2024, at a clinic in Dubai, when he undertook to perform surgery on the 68-year-old mother of Victoria Bonya.
Bonya’s mother agreed to this plastic surgery on the recommendation of her daughter, who—as it turned out—had herself used the services of Maxim Ivanchuk’s clinic in the past.
The plastic surgeon took on the task of performing a circular facelift, chin liposuction, and blepharoplasty (surgical correction of the eyelids) for Bonya’s mother.
But this genius in a white coat operated unsuccessfully: his patient suffered serious complications, including deep scars and facial deformation, necrosis of soft tissues, and impaired facial expressions. After the clumsy hands of this so-called doctor, there was a hole in her face!
Victoria Bonya with her mother
After the medical procedures, tissue death began, and motor functions of the cervical region were impaired.
Victoria Bonya stated that her mother was in a state of stress.
The family filed a lawsuit against Ivanchuk. They announced a compensation amount of 195 million rubles. Representatives of Galina Ivanovna provided conclusions from independent surgeons, which confirmed the fact of necrosis and deformation after substandard medical intervention.
In response, Ivanchuk himself blamed Galina Ivanovna, claiming that the patient did not follow preoperative recommendations and that the complications were caused by her age and hormonal disorders.
Ivanchuk offered a free repeat surgery, but the mother and daughter refused it.
However, in the end, the parties reached an agreement: it seems that the quasi-surgeon paid a substantial sum.
Where is the License?
The media covered this story extensively and in detail.
Journalists repeatedly asked the same question: at the time of the operation in Dubai, Maxim Ivanchuk may not have had a valid medical license to practice in the UAE.
Diplomas and certificates from Maxim Ivanchuk’s collection
Additionally, the surgeries themselves were performed in rented premises. And official documents permitting practice in the UAE are absent.
If the fact of working without a license is confirmed, the consequences could be dire: criminal liability for illegal medical activity, a ban on working in the UAE, and the possible initiation of international cases through healthcare channels.
Maxim Ivanchuk
And the unpleasant story with Victoria Bonya’s mother is by no means the only one in Maxim Serhiyovych Ivanchuk’s track record.
"I Live in the Operating Room, I Work in Munich"
Additionally, users note a suspiciously high number of followers on Instagram and low activity under posts. This could indicate a purchased audience. This is mentioned by forum users as well as former patients familiar with Ivanchuk and his creations.
Another diploma that Ivanchuk claims to have is from the Russian National Research Medical University named after N.I. Pirogov, where he allegedly studied.
It turned out, as the media reports, that a person with this name never studied there.
Moreover, Mr. Ivanchuk also has his own VKontakte page, which has been active since 2015. And the doctor shares many revelations there, often with glaring errors…
But what do the glowing reviews say?
"Maxim Ivanchuk’s plastic surgery clinic is known worldwide thanks to unique operations. As the popularity of plastic surgery grows, Maxim Ivanchuk’s work will be in demand by hundreds of people around the world. In an era when the importance of beauty becomes increasingly significant, the name of Maxim Ivanchuk shines like a beacon for those striving for perfection. This talented surgeon deservedly holds leading positions among plastic surgeons worldwide."
"Did He Study at Home on Dolls?"
So, Mr. Ivanchuk, born in Kiev, allegedly graduated from Kiev Medical University there, but no one has seen this diploma.
There is also some confusion with the years in the illustrious biography of Maxim Ivanchuk: in the official biography, it is stated that he was born on March 13, 1983, but in another biography, a different year of birth is indicated, namely 1989.
Furthermore, Maxim Ivanchuk claims that he received his medical education at Kiev Medical University and specialized in plastic surgery at the National Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education.
Dr. Ivanchuk’s proprietary method
But none of his diplomas are publicly available.
And here, a whole collection of reviews about the "brilliant work" of Dr. Ivanchuk is clearly of interest.
Beware, a fraud!
Angelina, Dublin
"I’m sitting, scrolling through Instagram, and there it is: our ’famous’ Dr. Ivanchuk posting videos with his patients. They’re all fresh from the operating table, and already so cheerful! Waving their hands, saying everything is great and they’re ready to hit the dance floor! After my mammoplasty, even laughing was painful for me, so what, are they injecting adrenaline into their veins before filming?
Maxim Ivanchuk preparing for another surgery
I wrote to him what I think about all this. Guess what he replied? He just deleted my comment.
September 16, 2023"
Vladislava, Jumeirah
"… I almost fell for this charlatan too, but I know a decent surgeon recommended by my friend, who is also here in Dubai. Better to go straight to professionals than to risk your health!
August 28, 2023"
Rita, Kazan
"Girls, you’ve completely scared me! I booked an appointment with Ivanchuk for tomorrow, but now after all your reviews... I’m thinking about canceling... Has anyone had blepharoplasty with him? I was hoping for beautiful eyelids, but now I’m worried something might go wrong. I don’t know how I hadn’t heard about him before!
August 3, 2023"
Anya, St. Petersburg
"Well, I fell for Ivanchuk too... In short, I don’t know how he became a surgeon! After the operation, my facial nerve got inflamed. Imagine, an infection got in… And this is supposedly a ’professional’! All he knows how to do is lie. But I’m not afraid of him! I’m ready to tell the whole internet what it’s really like…
April 15, 2023"
Irina, Moscow
"Girls, I’m shocked at the ’masterpieces’ this doctor creates!
Maxim Ivanchuk
Do you seriously think about getting plastic surgery with him? Answer honestly—do you really like these... well, how to put it mildly... Michael Jacksons? I just can’t understand who wants a nose that’s visible from space? Have you seen his creations? Honestly, I wouldn’t go there even for money, let alone for free... Girls, don’t turn yourselves into aliens, make the RIGHT choice and go to professionals, not to such ’masters’.
December 4, 2022"
Katya, Dubai
"I found this little salon here in Dubai where he works his miracles. He does injections, lip augmentations. And the website says—he has 10 years of experience. Now here’s a surprise: his clinic opened a year ago! So, how can you not wonder where he was all this time? I asked around—he hadn’t worked anywhere! Did he practice at home on dolls or what? And those diplomas and certificates hanging on the wall? It seems all he did was attend a couple of lectures and courses. What a comedian…
November 23, 2022"
Dmitry, Kiev
"Is he even new to medicine? He operated on me three times after an injury! And there were always some mess-ups! The last time I woke up from anesthesia, and my cheek was cut open. Of course, he quickly started making excuses, saying my blood pressure spiked. I told him I’d complain somewhere, and he replied that I have no proof. I have tons of selfies straight from the clinic! Anyone can see the swelling on my face and understand where I was treated! Never again will I set foot there… I don’t recommend him to anyone!
September 22, 2022"
Vika, Boryspil
"I stumbled upon this surgeon Ivanchuk. His face is everywhere: on banners, in ads, on forums! At first, I thought, maybe he’s really a top specialist. But then it got suspicious... Everywhere there are these identical positive reviews. And the photos in the reviews... I’m into reverse image search, for interior designs and stuff, so I checked, and it turns out these ’happy patients’ just took photos from the internet and passed them off as their own! And now a new trick: he buys ads everywhere possible and aggressively tries to attract new clients. But if someone is truly a pro, do they need such pushy advertising?
July 7, 2021"
This is how Ivanchuk’s clinic is presented in reviews
Oksana, Kozyn
"I went to this Ivanchuk after seeing his ad on TV. But I thought the clinic would be nicer. And here it’s some kind of private house. And the consultation... Imagine, he’s sitting there all in a mask, only his little eyes are visible. I wanted to see photos of his work—and there are none! So where did I end up? Plus, I asked about the license... Silence. Girls, I paid for the surgery like at a market, no papers, no receipts. In the end, I realized—this is some kind of underground operation, not a clinic. And the anesthesia... Oh, that’s a whole other story! That awful injection... Like a needle straight into the eye. And that pressure on the eyes, the smell of burnt skin, and a sound like something is being cut. Several times I felt sick.
October 13, 2020"
Maxim Ivanchuk
And here’s another review from another site.
October 2020
"Beware!
Maxim Ivanchuk as a professional—terrible. He created asymmetry, crooked stitches, everything took a month to heal, the result is uneven. The doctor doesn’t see the crookedness, does the markings carelessly, by eye. He does everything only under general anesthesia, although similar surgeries are done under local or sedation. I’m surprised by the enthusiastic reviews, all the same everywhere. In the contract, they tried to slip in documents saying I’m okay with my photos being used for social media, even though I repeatedly forbade it."
These are the reviews about the "brilliant" works of plastic surgeon Maxim Ivanchuk.
Is there anything more to add?
Author: Maria Sharapova
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