On Air Now
Heart's Club Classics with Pandora Christie 7pm - 11pm
Influencer slammed for marrying her step-son despite raising him with ex-husband
11 May 2020, 12:53 | Updated: 11 May 2020, 13:01
Russian social media star Marina Balmasheva posted a controversial snap highlighting the age difference.
An influencer has been subject to some serious backlash after posting a picture with her 20-year-old stepson whom she plans to marry after a 10-year marriage to his father.
Marina Balmasheva, 35, posted two pictures of her with stepson on Instagram, one of them in the present day as a couple, and the other of them 13 years ago, when she was 22 and hubby-to-be Vladimir was only seven years old.
READ MORE: 'Evil stepmum' brags about Lion King tattoos that shows husband's kids as drooling hyenas
The Instagram star - who has 416k followers - posted the picture to try and win over the public's support, but it didn't go to plan.
She attracted a whole wave of protests and negative comments after the before-and-after style picture was posted on her account four days ago, but has since continued posting pictures of her and Vladimir, seemingly unfazed.
Marina lives in the western Russian region, Krasnodar Krai, and was married to ex-husband Alexey, 45, for over a decade before they divorced two years ago.
Alexey's son, Vladimir, is now getting ready to marry his former stepmom, despite them being introduced when he was only seven years old.
Captioning the recent Instagram post, Marina wrote: "You never know how life will turn out and when you will meet a person who makes you smile.
"I know that some will judge us, others will support us, but we are happy and wish you to be as well."
She stressed that she is very much in love with Vladimir and reports claim that that together they are helping to raise three of his five siblings, as they live with them.
It's also been reported that while Marina was still wed to Alexey, she legally adopted five of his children - all but eldest Vladimir - meaning that following her wedding to him, she would not only be their legal parent, but their sister-in-law.
Marina revealed that she wants to have children with Vladimir and that they are currently planning their wedding, but endless comments on their posts stated their outrage at the pair's relationship, saying it is "immoral" for Marina to be in a relationship with a child she helped raise.
