The war launched by Russia in Ukraine has not only had military consequences but has also given rise to new phenomena affecting Russian society.
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Among them is the phenomenon of “black widows,” women suspected of marrying Russian soldiers shortly before they are sent to the front, with the aim of receiving state compensation if they are killed.
Under Russian law, a family member or legal beneficiary of a soldier killed in the war may receive 5 million rubles, equivalent to around $64,000. Authorities and state media in Russia claim that this mechanism has been exploited by people who marry soldiers only a few days before they leave for Ukraine.
The allegations have sparked anger among soldiers’ families, who say they are being denied the financial benefits to which they believe they are entitled.
One recently reported case involves a nurse at a military hospital. She was dismissed after being accused of marrying five wounded soldiers under her care who later died, with the aim of claiming compensation.
Marriage procedures for recruits being sent to the front were simplified by the Kremlin after the war in Ukraine began in 2022. The measure was presented as part of policies to support families and promote “traditional values,” but reports suggest that it has also created opportunities for abuse.
The issue returned to the spotlight in 2025 after a real estate agent in Siberia was filmed advising women to marry soldiers who were leaving for war. She argued that the state compensation could help them buy a house. Following public backlash, the agent and the host of the program in which the remarks were made were sentenced to community service and issued public apologies.
Meanwhile, Russian courts have handled several disputes between the families of soldiers killed in the war and women whom they had married shortly before leaving for the front. In some of these cases, judges refused to recognize the women’s right to compensation after identifying circumstances that raised suspicions of abuse.
Other reports contain allegations that, in certain cases, members of the Russian armed forces also took part in arranging sham marriages and sending soldiers on high-risk missions. Russian authorities are said to have opened investigations, but no official update on their findings has been released to date.
