Since 2022, military mobilisation has transformed intimate relationships in Russia. In the digital sphere, thousands of women are turning to social media to maintain ties with their partners who have been mobilised.
Since the fall of 2022, numerous reports have highlighted the difficulties women face in obtaining reliable news about their husbands, fiancés, or partners who have been sent to the front.
In several Russian cities, spontaneous gatherings of relatives have taken place to demand official information or call for demobilisation. According to surveys published by Paperpaper.ru and E1.ru, women's collectives are trying to appeal to local authorities, often without response.
At the same time, a massive digital phenomenon has developed. On TikTok, VKontakte, and Telegram, thousands of young women are publicly expressing their anticipation: personal messages, stories of daily life, gestures intended to maintain the bond despite the absence.
Under the hashtags #ждумужасСВО (#waitingformyhusbandSVO) or #жду (#waiting), they share videos, photos, and texts.
In Yekaterinburg, 22-year-old Irina posts videos on TikTok showing her preparing the house for her fiancé's return. In Rostov, 28-year-old Marina shares open letters to her mobilized partner on VKontakte, as well as counters showing the number of days since their separation.
The most common formats include photos in wedding dresses with signs, video clips showing the decoration of the house "while waiting for the return," or online journals recounting the day-to-day absence of the loved one. In some cases, the online display of waiting takes on a particular significance: daily publication of unanswered messages, organization of documented ritual gestures, and a proliferation of content around the theme of the hoped-for return.
Some specialized groups on VKontakte have between 10,000 and 50,000 members, exclusively female, sharing advice, encouragement, and testimonials. On Telegram, dedicated channels allow women to exchange messages of support, collective prayers, and tips for staying in touch despite communication interruptions.
"As long as we write and wait, we remain connected."
