Russia has once again come under scrutiny for its disturbing and insensitive “gifts” to the families of soldiers killed in its war against Ukraine. This time, bereaved mothers were handed meat grinders as compensation for their sons’ deaths—an act widely condemned as grotesque and cruel. This is just one of many absurd rewards given to grieving families, following previous instances where the Russian government and military distributed household appliances, food, and even bicycles instead of meaningful support.
On International Women’s Day in 2025, mothers of fallen Russian soldiers were presented with meat grinders by the ruling United Russia party as part of a campaign called “Flowers for the Mothers of Heroes.” Along with the devices, the families received flowers, a gesture that only fuelled public outrage. Many noted the bitter irony of the gift, as “meat grinder” is commonly used to describe the relentless slaughter of Russian troops sent to the frontline with little regard for their lives.
Social media users reacted with anger, forcing United Russia’s Murmansk regional branch to disable comments on their post. Shortly after, the party shared a video of one recipient expressing gratitude for the meat grinder, claiming she “actually needed one.” However, Russian activist Violetta Grudina dismissed this as propaganda, stating that no grieving mother would ask for such a gift in exchange for her son’s life. She condemned United Russia, calling them “worse than filth.”
The meat grinder debacle is just one of many examples of Russia’s callous treatment of its war dead. In 2023, a Russian family was given a multi-cooker alongside a bouquet wrapped in paper that read “life.” Widows of fallen soldiers received refrigerators as compensation for the deaths of their husbands. One woman, left to care for three children, and another, raising five, were both presented with the appliances as part of a government outreach programme. The initiative, described by Russian state media as an effort to make bereaved families “smile more often,” was met with widespread criticism.
In July 2022, Russian state television covered the story of Alexey Malov, a tank commander killed on the third day of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. His family used the government’s one-time compensation payment, often called “coffin money,” to purchase a budget Russian-made Lada car. His father claimed the vehicle was one his son had dreamed of owning and that they would take it on its first drive to visit his grave.
On Mother’s Day in November 2022, authorities in the Kursk region handed grieving mothers sets of three towels. The regional leader, Sergey Korostelev, proudly shared photos of the handover on the Russian social media platform VKontakte, but the post was later deleted after backlash.
Similar incidents have been reported across Russia. In Yakutsk, the mayor presented families of mobilised soldiers with a bag of vegetables. In another case, the commander of a fallen soldier gave the soldier’s father a bag of potatoes.
One of the most shocking cases involved Oleg Rybkin, a soldier mobilised in September 2022, who was severely wounded in battle. His injuries included damage to his abdomen, liver, kidney, and the destruction of his right knee joint. Instead of receiving proper medical care, financial support, or rehabilitation, he was given two buckets of carrots and a bag of onions. Reports indicate that, despite his injuries, he was later sent back to the frontline on crutches. His wife voiced her outrage, asking, “What vegetables, what gifts, do I need to replace my husband’s joint and get him discharged?”
In Vladivostok, local authorities reportedly handed out packs of sausages to widows of fallen soldiers. While the administration later deleted their social media post about the event, archived copies reveal that the women also received pates, canned goods, and semi-finished meat products.
Perhaps one of the most tragic instances occurred when the family of a fallen soldier, including two young children, was given a bicycle as compensation for his death. Russian media quoted the soldier’s widow as saying she was “surprised at first, but then decided it would be useful for the kids.”
