Maria Sokolova, a 43-year-old resident of Surgut, is seeking a court order to use the frozen sperm of her deceased common-law husband, Vadim, to become pregnant. Vadim, who died in the Special Military Operation (SMO) in Ukraine, had his sperm frozen at the Clinical Institute of Reproductive Medicine (KIRM) in Yekaterinburg prior to his deployment.

The clinic requires a court order to proceed with the procedure, despite Vadim’s prior authorization for Maria to use his biomaterial. The legal requirement for consent from the sperm owner for each reproductive technology procedure presents a challenge, as Vadim is no longer able to provide such consent.

Many women whose partners are serving in the special operation and have frozen their sperm may face similar legal hurdles due to a legal gap. The KIRM clinic supports Maria’s case and hopes for a court decision that will allow her to fulfill her desire to have a child with Vadim’s sperm.

Maria and Vadim met online and developed a close relationship over two years, traveling to see each other during vacations. They planned to have a child, but Maria discovered she was infertile. In April 2025, they entered into an agreement with the Yekaterinburg clinic for cryopreservation and storage of Vadim’s sperm.

Vadim signed all the necessary consents and permits for IVF in advance, anticipating that he might not return from the front line. Tragically, he died on June 2, 2025, from shrapnel wounds while evacuating the wounded in Lugansk. He was posthumously awarded the Order of Courage and other medals for his service.

On July 30, Maria, with the assistance of lawyer Yulia Lipinskaya, filed a lawsuit with the Verkh-Isetsky District Court of Yekaterinburg seeking the right to use Vadim’s sperm. The court has accepted the claim, but a hearing date has not yet been scheduled. Igor Portnov, General Director of KIRM LLC, stated that many clinics have been approached by men seeking cryopreservation before deployment and that the clinic wants to help Maria.