A 75-year-old woman Galina Zhukovskaya who married her 52-year-old former-son-in-law has sparked controversy in Russia.
The woman from St. Petersburg, Russia married Vyacheslav Zhukovsky, after her 56-year-old daughter divorced him.
The 23 years gap between the couple is not what shocks many but the fact that Vyacheslav was Galina’s son-in-law for three years when he was married to her daughter Elena.
Vyacheslav reportedly divorced Elena over infidelity shortly after he was released from prison and he found refuge with his mother-in-law.
It is gathered that Vyacheslav met Elena met while serving time in a Murmansk prison for killing his former employer over unpaid wages.
Elena responded to Vyacheslav’s dating ad in a local newspaper and they hit it off. The couple married in 2007 in the very prison Vyacheslav was held.
The marriage crumbled when Vyacheslav was released from prison and he moved into her home in St. Petersburg. Only their marriage quickly fell apart.
Galina claims that her daughter cheated on her husband shortly after his release and eventually kicked him out of the house. With no place to go, Vyacheslav was condemned to homelessness, but his mother-in-law took pity on him and took him into her home. She admits that she didn’t do it out of love, she was just sorry for him, but as time passed, they drew closer.
The unusual couple got married in 2010 and have been together ever since.
Galina claims that her daughter has always been envious of their relationship and has been trying to break them up.
“My daughter is probably jealous that mom is not alone. I have someone to talk to and she doesn’t,” Galina Zhukovskaya told Russian tabloid Komsomolskaya Pravda. “She wants us to separate. She often sends her 30-year-old daughter, born from another man, to seduce him.”
Galina has faced backlash, criticism and judgment from relatives for taking her daughter’s ex-husband but she and Vyacheslav remain steadfast in their love.
Two years ago, they planned to have a baby together and even managed to find a surrogate mother, but they were deceived. The woman took their one million rubles payment, got pregnant, but the DNA test showed that the baby was not Galina’s and Vyacheslav’s.
The marriage has had its own rocky period like when Vyacheslav looked for another woman.
Galina forgave him, blaming his attempt on his playful nature, his habit of flirting with other women but never going any further. She did tell him that if he wanted someone else he should just leave, but he decided that he was better off with her.
“Do you know what I like about Galina? I’m sure she won’t cheat on me, I’m tired of cheating,” the 52-year-old man said.
Another concern for the 75-year-old pensioner is that her apartment is also at stake. As her husband, Vyacheslav stands to inherit her home if she passes away, something that her family cannot accept.
Galina’s case is similar to that of a Russian influencer Marina Balmasheva who announced her upcoming marriage to a stepson she helped raise for 10 years.
Marina was married to Vladimir’s 45-year-old father Alesky for 10 years before she announced that she is romantically involved with Vladimir.
She later revealed she is pregnant with her stepson’s baby after recently divorcing his father.
She shared the news with an Instagram video in which she hands Vladimir the positive pregnancy stick, after which they shared an emotional embrace.
