Aleksandra Stashkevich will represent Russia at the 75th Miss Universe beauty pageant in Puerto Rico, organizers of the national contest announced on social media.
The 21-year-old from the Siberian city of Tyumen was a finalist in the Miss Russia 2023 pageant, where she reached the top ten, but she did not win the national crown. Her selection was confirmed by national organizers in a statement published on their official VKontakte page.
Officials from the Miss Russia organization extended their support to Stashkevich, wishing her success as she begins her campaign to compete for the Miss Universe 2026 crown on the international stage.
Miss Universe is one of the world's most widely watched annual international beauty competitions, bringing together delegates from dozens of countries across multiple stages of evaluation, including personal interviews and evening wear presentations. The upcoming 75th edition of the pageant is scheduled to be held in Puerto Rico, marking a milestone anniversary for the global event.
Athletic background and journalism career
Born in Tyumen, Stashkevich had already achieved national recognition in athletics before entering the beauty pageant circuit. She is a seven-time champion of Russia in cheerleading and holds the official sports distinction of Candidate Master of Sports, a prestigious athletic ranking in the country awarded to competitors who meet elite performance standards.
Her cheerleading career extended beyond domestic tournaments to the international level, where she represented Russia as a member of the national squad. She later moved from team athletics into the public eye through student journalism and regional sports media.
Stashkevich is currently an undergraduate student at the Faculty of Journalism at Tyumen State University. Alongside her academic studies, she has worked professionally as a sports reporter and correspondent for regional professional clubs in western Siberia, including the Rubin ice hockey club and the Tyumen football club.
Uncertainty over delayed Miss Russia 2026 final
Her appointment to represent the country comes amid unresolved questions surrounding Russia's domestic beauty competition. The final of the Miss Russia 2026 pageant has still not taken place, and organizers have provided no explanation for the delay or for the absence of a reigning 2026 winner.
Pageant officials conducted a nationwide series of open auditions across July, August and September to recruit candidates for the 2026 competition. Despite the completion of those casting calls, organizers have offered no public comment explaining why no national champion was selected, nor why Stashkevich was chosen for the international competition.
The unusual selection follows recent public remarks from Miss Russia 2024 Valentina Alekseeva regarding her personal life. Alekseeva recently addressed her relationship with businessman Ilya Mitelman, who is 30 years older than her, admitting that she did not immediately trust the businessman because she believed she would only ever be seen as a trophy in his eyes.
With the domestic pageant schedule unresolved, Stashkevich is now set to turn her attention toward Puerto Rico, where she will compete against delegates from across the globe in pursuit of the Miss Universe 2026 crown.
