You're reading: Disarming beauties in contest

In the former armory-turned-museum Mystetsky Arsenal, guests were completely disarmed by a small unit of Ukrainian beauties on Dec. 11.

The contest Miss Ukraine-Universe 2011 is a serious chapter in the book of pageantry as the winner gets to represent Ukraine on the world stage at Miss Universe.

Leaving 14 other ladies behind, 22-year-old Olesya Stefanko from Odesa won the title, a necklace worth $20,000 and a trip to Cannes.

Anastasia Burak, 18, from Zhytomyr was the second runner-up. Iryna Samulia, 20, from Ivano-Frankivsk closed the victorious trio. On the jury panel were famous British singer Sonique.

As well as Russian-Australian boxer Konstantin Tzsyu, Danish tennis player Caroline Wozniacki and businessman Oleksandr Onyshchenko, the patron of pageants in Ukraine.

Held since 1952, Miss Universe is one of the oldest and most prestigious competitions in its genre.

Photos by Yaroslav Debelyi