Russian Families Pay Up to £100 for AI Images of Fallen Soldiers, Creating 'Digital Afterlife' Market

Russian families are purchasing AI-generated pictures and videos of their deceased soldiers for between £2 and £100 as a new 'digital afterlife' trend gains momentum. According to reports, grieving relatives commission these deepfakes to create images of fallen servicemen smiling and waving, some depicted with angel wings.

AI creator Ulyana Lebed revealed she earns between £1,500 and £2,000 monthly from the service—double Russia's average monthly wage—as limited domestic access to generative AI tools drives demand. However, the AI mock-ups frequently contain errors including distorted faces, missing limbs, and extra fingers.