3 weeks ago
'Black Widows' Accused of Honey-Trapping Russian Troops for Death Benefits
When a Russian soldier dies in a war, the army gives money to the soldier's closest family member.,The money is meant to help the family take care of themselves.,But the army says some women, called 'black widows', are tricking soldiers into marrying them before they go to war.,If the soldier dies, the new wife gets the money instead of his real family.,One woman named Maria found out her father died in the war, and he had gotten married just two days before leaving.,Maria had never even met or heard of her father's new wife.,Some reports say soldiers were even pushed to marry while they were dying.,Last year, a nurse lost her job after being accused of marrying five soldiers she cared for.,The war is still going on, and recently Russia attacked the city of Kyiv, hurting many people.,Families who lose the money and the loved one feel very sad and shocked.
Russian authorities describe women dubbed 'black widows' who marry soldiers on false pretexts before they deploy to the Ukraine war, then claim official death compensation while cutting out the soldiers' families.
Maria, 37, told CNN her 59-year-old father, Yury, was killed in the war and had married a woman 22 years younger than him just two days before being sent to fight, a bride Maria says she never met.
The next of kin of a killed Russian soldier can receive compensation starting at 5 million rubles (approximately USD 64,000).
Last year, a military hospital nurse was dismissed after being accused of marrying five soldiers in her care to collect their compensation.
On Wednesday, August 5, Russia launched airstrikes on Kyiv, killing 14 people and injuring 27 others, as Kyiv urged allies to provide more US-made Patriot interceptors.
- Who
- Russian women dubbed 'black widows' by authorities, and soldiers' families such as Maria's father Yury, a 59-year-old Russian soldier killed during the Ukraine war
- What
- Black widows allegedly honey-trap Russian soldiers into marriage, then claim their official death benefits and cut out the soldiers' families
- Where
- Russia and Ukraine, including a Russian military hospital where a nurse allegedly married five soldiers
- When
- During the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, reported as of August 06, 2026
- Why
- Because the next of kin of a killed Russian soldier receives compensation starting at 5 million rubles, which scammers allegedly exploit
Families' Perspective
Authorities' Perspective
Marriages as scams
Families' Perspective
Families like Maria's suspect the marriages are scams; Maria immediately suspected a scam after learning her father married a stranger days before deployment.
Authorities' Perspective
Russian authorities and state media describe the women as 'black widows' who marry vulnerable men on false pretexts to claim compensation and cut out relatives.
Who is victimized
Families' Perspective
Soldiers' families lose both their loved ones and the official compensation intended for them.
Authorities' Perspective
Vulnerable soldiers, including recruits reportedly compelled to marry even 'on their deathbeds', are exploited by the scheme.
Key facts
- Death compensation
- Starts at 5 million rubles (approximately USD 64,000)
- Maria's age
- 37
- Maria's father
- Yury, 59, killed in the Ukraine war
- Father's marriage
- Married a woman 22 years younger just two days before being sent to war
- Nurse incident
- Military hospital nurse sacked for allegedly marrying five soldiers in her care
- Kyiv airstrike
- August 5, 2026: 14 killed, 27 injured
- Kyiv's request
- More US-made Patriot interceptors from allies
Quotes
Maria
Victim’s daughter questioning alleged black widow claim
“I’m still in shock and still can’t accept what happened”
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