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According to the report, Russia is seeing a growing market in fraudulent marriages as women seek multimillion-ruble compensation paid to families of soldiers killed in Ukraine, creating an expanding cohort of so-called black widows, according to the Military. The trend has emerged against the backdrop of substantial state payouts for soldiers killed in the war. In March 2022, the Russian leader Vladimir Putin said families of service members killed in Ukraine would receive about $80,000 in federal insurance compensation, while wounded soldiers would get about $30,000.
The report also stated that Foreign Policy reported that 40-year-old contract soldier Serhiy Khandozhko married a local draft office employee shortly before deploying to Ukraine; after his death, she demanded state payments, but a court later annulled the marriage as fictitious and concluded it had been entered into to obtain compensation. In another case described by Ukrainian outlet Obozrevatel, investigators in the Khanty-Mansi region say a woman dubbed a black widow, and her accomplices used police databases to target single men with criminal records or addictions, persuaded them to enter into sham marriages and sign contracts, then allegedly collected at least $160,000 in death benefits.
The report added that the rise in fraudulent wartime marriages has prompted calls inside Russia for tougher penalties. Veteran organizations and regional activists have urged lawmakers to introduce specific criminal liability for entering into sham marriages with participants in the so-called special military operation for the sake of compensation. In August, Russian lawmakers from the LDPR party submitted a bill to the State Duma that would create a separate offense targeting black widows and organizers of such schemes, with proposed prison terms of up to 10 years.
In addition, despite these initiatives, independent Russian outlet Holod noted that officials have yet to offer a systemic solution, as compensation is often paid out before marriages are annulled, and proving that a union was concluded solely for financial gain remains difficult in court of Russian troops who have gone missing in action are being officially listed as deserters, a designation that strips their families of the financial compensation ordinarily provided to those whose relatives are confirmed killed in combat.
The report also stated that Foreign Policy reported that 40-year-old contract soldier Serhiy Khandozhko married a local draft office employee shortly before deploying to Ukraine; after his death, she demanded state payments, but a court later annulled the marriage as fictitious and concluded it had been entered into to obtain compensation. In another case described by Ukrainian outlet Obozrevatel, investigators in the Khanty-Mansi region say a woman dubbed a black widow, and her accomplices used police databases to target single men with criminal records or addictions, persuaded them to enter into sham marriages and sign contracts, then allegedly collected at least $160,000 in death benefits.
The report added that the rise in fraudulent wartime marriages has prompted calls inside Russia for tougher penalties. Veteran organizations and regional activists have urged lawmakers to introduce specific criminal liability for entering into sham marriages with participants in the so-called special military operation for the sake of compensation. In August, Russian lawmakers from the LDPR party submitted a bill to the State Duma that would create a separate offense targeting black widows and organizers of such schemes, with proposed prison terms of up to 10 years.
In addition, despite these initiatives, independent Russian outlet Holod noted that officials have yet to offer a systemic solution, as compensation is often paid out before marriages are annulled, and proving that a union was concluded solely for financial gain remains difficult in court of Russian troops who have gone missing in action are being officially listed as deserters, a designation that strips their families of the financial compensation ordinarily provided to those whose relatives are confirmed killed in combat.
