As Russia's war in Ukraine grinds into its fifth year, a disturbing new phenomenon has emerged on the home front. Women accused of entering sham marriages with army recruits to claim lucrative state compensation after their deaths have become known in Russia as "black widows" — a trend that has sparked public outrage and renewed scrutiny of the Kremlin's wartime policies.

When Maria learnt that her 59-year-old father had died after being shot in Ukraine, she was doubly shocked. She didn’t know he’d enlisted – nor that he had married.

As Russia's war in Ukraine grinds into its fifth year, a disturbing new phenomenon has emerged on the home front. Women accused of entering sham marriages with army recruits to…