‘Black widows’: Women accused of marrying Russian army recruits to claim death payouts
Marriage for Money: How ‘Black Widows’ Are Exploiting Russia’s War Dead
Earthguardiansonline.com – Across Russia, a troubling pattern has emerged where women are marrying vulnerable men—often older, economically disadvantaged soldiers—before sending them to the front lines in Ukraine. Once these men fall in battle, their new wives collect substantial death benefits, sometimes leaving biological families bewildered and financially shortchanged.
For Maria, a 37-year-old St. Petersburg resident, the revelation came as a devastating double blow. When military officials contacted her to inform her that her 59-year-old father, Yury, had been shot on the Ukrainian front and subsequently died from his injuries, she was initially overwhelmed with grief. But her sorrow quickly turned to disbelief when she learned two critical facts: her father had secretly enlisted in the armed forces, and he had married just two days before being deployed to combat.
“I’m still in shock and still can’t accept what happened,” Maria said, sitting at her kitchen table in her modest apartment. “At first, it felt like a dream. Even now, I sometimes wake up thinking I must have just dreamt it all. But it is really happening.”
What made the situation even more perplexing was that Maria had never met or even heard of the woman who had become her father’s widow. The bride was 22 years younger than Yury and, through this seemingly opportunistic union, had become his legal next of kin—entitling her to official compensation that would otherwise have gone to Yury’s immediate family.
“I’ve never even spoken to this woman,” Maria explained. “I don’t know what to say to her because I immediately suspected it was a scam.”
The Financial Incentive Behind the Scams
The financial motivation driving these marriages is substantial. When a Russian soldier dies in combat, his designated next of kin receives lump-sum payments from the military beginning at 5 million rubles, approximately $64,000. These benefits were originally designed to provide reassurance to recruits and their families that loved ones would be cared for if the worst occurred during service.
However, Russian officials and state media have begun labeling these opportunistic women as “black widows”—a term that evokes both the spider and the image of women who have lost multiple husbands. These women allegedly target vulnerable men, arrange sham marriages, and then claim the death benefits when their new husbands perish on the battlefield, effectively cutting out other relatives who might have legitimate claims.
CNN attempted to contact Yury’s widow for comment but was unable to reach her for this report.
A Growing Scandal in Wartime Russia
In recent months, Russian society has been scandalized by numerous reports of recruits being honey-trapped into marriage before dying on the front lines—or in some cases, being married on their deathbeds. One particularly widely reported case from last year involved a nurse at a military hospital who was dismissed after being accused of marrying five soldiers under her care before they succumbed to their injuries, all to collect their death benefits.
This phenomenon has struck a nerve in a country increasingly concerned about the human toll of what the Kremlin continues to call a “special military operation.” Against a backdrop of economic difficulties, fuel shortages, mounting casualties, and Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory, public anger toward these scammers has intensified, with growing calls for official government intervention.
“The families of Special Military Operation participants need protection from brazen criminals, from so-called ‘black widows,’ from financial and telephone scammers and predators who target those who have received monetary payouts,” said Leonid Slutsky, a prominent lawmaker in Russia’s typically uncritical parliament. He added that such crimes were now reaching “serious proportions.”
The Pro-Marriage Campaign
Ironically, the Kremlin’s own policies may have inadvertently facilitated these scams. Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, authorities actively encouraged recruits to marry, potentially to strengthen family support networks and provide additional motivation for soldiers to fight. This pro-marriage initiative aligned with President Vladimir Putin’s broader promotion of “traditional values” at a time when Russia faced significant demographic decline.
The government streamlined the marriage process for newly enlisted soldiers, helping them bypass the usual notice periods. State television broadcast mass wedding ceremonies organized by local officials, further normalizing and accelerating these unions. For many young women, marrying a soldier—particularly one about to be deployed to what has become known as the “meat-grinder” front lines, where life expectancy is now considered catastrophically short—has emerged as an unexpected pathway onto the Russian property ladder.
In a video podcast recorded in the Siberian city of Tomsk last year, real estate agent Marina Orlova offered remarkably candid advice to potential property buyers. When host Darya Cherdantseva, a 30-year-old woman, questioned where she would find the money to purchase an apartment, Orlova’s response was straightforward.
“Find a man who’s serving in the Special Military Operation and when he gets killed, you get 8 million rubles ($102,000),” Orlova laughed.
As Russia continues to grapple with the consequences of its war in Ukraine, the black widow phenomenon represents more than just individual greed—it reflects deeper societal anxieties about the human cost of conflict and the economic pressures facing ordinary citizens. With death benefits becoming increasingly valuable in a struggling economy, the temptation to exploit these payments grows stronger, leaving families like Maria’s to wonder whether their loved ones’ sacrifices are being honored—or exploited—by those closest to them.
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