Russian women are famed for their beauty, their grace, their loyalty, their family instincts and their pride. Most of this fame is well-deserved. But slowly over the past few years, there has been another quality of Russian women that has fascinated the media, and that is their penchant for foreign men.

At first glance, this interest might seem a little strange, considering that Russian men can often be some of the most attractive in the world. But look closely, and you realize the first and the most basic fact that may be behind this situation: there are only 87 Russian men to 100 Russian women. There are simply not enough men.

The second factor could be the long and ancient tradition of patriarchy that has ruled Russia for centuries. Women in Russia have been used to being treated with indifference by their men, if not with downright unconcern. On the other hand, Western men generally treat women as equals, and this attitude comes across as a refreshing change to Russian girls looking for marriage.

The second factor extends into another. Russian women have a cultural leaning towards the family and the rearing of children, and even women with careers of their own want to ensure that they have a lasting marriage to bring up their children well. A Russian man usually likes to party hard, which is not conducive to a peaceful family life, hence women in Russia have started to look beyond the borders for men who prioritize home and hearth.

These women are a great match for those men from the West seeking nurturing wives who would not look out of place in their respective countries. The home-loving Russian women with their European looks, blonde locks and golden complexion are a perfect fit for such European and American men. The Western man finds himself a caring wife, and the Russian woman gets a loving, liberal and generous husband.

Besides this obvious match of mutual needs, there are some Russian women who want to marry abroad in order to live a new life, to experience a new culture and its customs and traditions. Some of them would like to go to the United States for its liberal, open attitude, and opportunities for growth. Others would like Italy or Spain, because they feel that the men in these countries are more emotional and giving, not to mention more romantic. Yet others would like Sweden, Belgium or Austria, because these countries have a climate similar to Russia, are not too far away from their motherland and yet have men who are more willing to take up family responsibilities.

But the underlying reason beneath all these factors is the desire of Russian women to marry a man who would cherish them, who would want to have children and to take care of their family. Even those women who want to marry abroad due to a latent sense of adventure are also primarily looking for love.Women in Russia are extremely susceptible to matters of the heart, and it is to satisfy these cravings of the heart that they are willing to marry foreign men in preference to their own.