Russian Wives Popular Among Finnish Bachelors

May love for money develop into deeper feelings having nothing to do with currency?
Many prostitutes come to Suomi from the Russian cities of St.Petersburg, Vyborg and Petrozavodsk, Finnish authorities, sociologists and journalists say. Senior inspector from the central criminal police Yari Leskinen says that St.Petersburg criminal groups deal with pandering in Finland's south-eastern part and the region of Finland's old capital Turku.

Prostitutes are taken to Finland for work regularly; they receive men at hotels rented especially for them in small towns. Men from nearby places learn immediately as soon as new girls arrive from Russia. The information is circulated via cellular communication. It is a well-known fact that there are special communication operators in Finland who inform potential clients of arrival of Russian prostitutes beforehand.

Women at the age of 20-50 come to Finland not only for prostitution but also smuggle vodka and cigarettes.

A question arises in connection with this situation: may love for money develop into deeper feelings having nothing to do with currency? Hundreds of Finns openly give an answer to the question and marry Russian girls who arrive to Finland for such peculiar services; however thousands of Finnish men say nothing at all in response. These are mostly men from economically developed parts of the country who never give an account following what criteria they marry women. But men of professions popular in provincial parts of the country, such as wood-cutters, fishermen give a straightforward answer. "Do you think that a Finnish girl will marry me at once without investigating more details about my life? Finnish women want to know the amount of my bank account, the model of my car and how big my house is. But Russian girls believe that having married Finns they may achieve a lot together and first of all focus on the relationship."

Vasily Korovin, an emigrant from the Russian republic of Karelia brings potential brides to a camping near Kouvole. The man was surprised when he discovered an unusual phenomenon in northern parts of Finland. The matter of the fact, when once wood-cutters from a Finnish town bordering Sweden despaired to find brides in their region, they decided to invite Russian girls for New Year celebration in Finland. The idea gave rise to an unusual business plan: Russian girls were invited to Finland to celebrate New Year coming with Finnish bachelors. At that, men pay 250 euro each and girls pay nothing. Vasily Korovin's company covers all the charges connected with visa, medical insurance, traveling expenses, meals and lodging of girls coming from Russia. However, the man does not risk to organize group tours for Russian girls to Finland. It may happen so that girls may be prohibited access to Finland as prostitutes, that is why Vasily has to be on the dodge and invent various tricks for bringing Russian girls to Finland for finding husbands.

Pavel Volpyansky