Outraged patriotic bloggers and the tabloid press in Russia are warning the country's soldiers about scams from so-called "black widows" -- women who seduce and lure the fighters into marriage so they can collect their death benefits if they are killed fighting in Ukraine.
In one post, blogger Anastasia Kashevarova claimed that gangs of opportunistic women were operating in Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine where they allegedly seduced Russian soldiers for their money and benefits. “Gangs of honey traps were captured in Luhansk,” she wrote. “They can pull that scam off repeatedly.”
If a Russian soldier dies in combat, governmental compensation for the widow and family can be up to $60,000 plus a survivor’s pension. If the soldier is seriously wounded, there is a disability payment of up to $36,000.
Current Time’s Andrey Cherkasov surveys Russia’s media and says the issue has frequently appeared in the tabloid press.
One headline in a Siberian publication claimed the wife of a Tyumen resident killed in action was accused by the fighter’s mother of orchestrating a scam marriage.
A suggestion from a Tomsk real estate agent sparked outrage when she advised clients on how to raise cash to buy property. “You find a fighting man in the special military operation. He dies, and you get $100,000,” said Marina Orlova Tomsk, laughing out loud.
That triggered an angry backlash on Russia social media.
“The question is whether this Tomsk realtor wants to take responsibility for a scheme to buy an apartment for these women in their thirties,” posted blogger Gasparyan.
“This is a criminal offense that deserves a prison term,” wrote another blogger who goes by the name Shakespeare.
And Paratrooper Diary posted: “There are many women who even have kids to get higher compensation.”
These accusations tarnish the Russian image of the "hero's wife," which is promoted by Kremlin propaganda. Officials, members of the ruling United Russia Party, and even Russian President Vladimir Putin regularly meet with the wives and mothers of soldiers fighting in Ukraine. Pro-Kremlin media cover these events.
Some Russian bloggers have also suggested that scams targeting Russian soldiers can pose an intelligence risk for the country’s military. “Black widows” who allegedly seduce Russian soldiers aren’t only after cash but are also looking for military secrets, according to blogger Anastasia Kashevarova.
“A sex agent will find out lots of things about her groom's unit and report it to the enemy,” she writes.
With a shortage of soldiers on the front line, Russian authorities keep raising payments and benefits for those willing to sign a military contract to go and fight in Ukraine. Such incentives, however, may also be encouraging fraudulent schemes and exploitation, as some individuals seek to profit from the system -- and from the deaths of others.
