Serious age difference.

[Gator]

That is not to say that the majority of "models" are bad or something of the sort, no, but they often do not have a lot to offer after the sense of novelty fades and a man gets used to their physical attributes.  So guys quickly get bored with them despite the oh so promising start of their relationships. The "modals" that have inner substance often are left alone as they age and it is mystery for me to understand why. I know a few women of supermodel qualities with appeal who are not chased after

Exceptions exist.  I dated a couple of women who modeled briefly, yet the Cossack woman is the only one who had a long career with about 10 years on the runway in Germany, Hungary, Austria, Moscow and St. Petersburg.  And ending later as a photo model for kitchen cabinets.  She is very warm and optimistic, not the  persona I expected for a model.   And certainly not boring.
 
RM and European men pursued her into her 40s with the occasional offer of marriage.  I will ask her about her "sister models."

[timinua]

I didn't say that 5,000USD a month was typical. I pointed that salary out because people were arguing the semantics of rich. If a branch manager of SEB bank makes 5K a month, that's not rich.

My original point concerned the OP: large age differences are quite common among divorced and remarried Ukrainian men of means (hopefully, that is a less incendiary term). Most of the girls I know who have married older (Ukrainian) guys are not scammers or gold diggers. Most of these relationships are working quite well, even though your typical middle-aged Ukrainian man is a lot "older" (in terms of health and certainly in terms of outlook) than your typical middle-aged foreigner.

[Patagonie]

I didn't say that 5,000USD a month was typical. I pointed that salary out because people were arguing the semantics of rich. If a branch manager of SEB bank makes 5K a month, that's not rich.

My original point concerned the OP: large age differences are quite common among divorced and remarried Ukrainian men of means (hopefully, that is a less incendiary term). Most of the girls I know who have married older (Ukrainian) guys are not scammers or gold diggers. Most of these relationships are working quite well, even though your typical middle-aged Ukrainian man is a lot "older" (in terms of health and certainly in terms of outlook) than your typical middle-aged foreigner.

I just think that you have a problem of referential :
demonstration :
If the median wage (worth, after tax and with governemen help) is 2000 $ in France (so 50% or people earn more and 50 % of people earn less) and as  the median ukrainian wage is 400$.
So if you talk about a guy who earns in UK 5000, it is 12 x more than the median wage.
In France it means 24000$ per month. 24000$ per month in France, you are RICH, not super rich, but rich, you are between 0.5% and 0.1% of the top earners in France.

If you make a survey in Ukraine : "5000$ per month, do you consider that you are rich, ? i bet one bottle of champaign that at leats 90% of people would answer YES. 

[chivo]

Don't think there's an argument here Pat, maybe the typical misunderstanding of arguing two different points.
 
FWIW the average salary in Moscow is about 50-60000ru (about 1700-2000usd). I seriously doubt it's higher anywhere else in the FSU.

My point is that large age differences are not uncommon among the upper-middle class here in Ukraine. But, of course, it is not a fair comparison between guys who live over here and know all the angles and foreigners who have 7-10 days to make a decision.

And, interestingly, the guys who did marry significantly younger women didn't marry the supermodel type. They'll have them as mistresses, but they won't marry them.

Food for thought...

This is still a good point that will undoubtedly get overlooked. IOW, guys coming here cannot do what guys living here can, for the most part. Younger women in the FSU will be much more willing than their western sisters to enter into this kind of relationship. And it will be real.
 
Thus the hype of a younger woman gets misinterpreted as possible for anyone who strolls into the FSU just because it's relatively easy for those who live here.
 
It's not by any stretch of the imagination, well, unless you decide to move here that is.

[Patagonie]

I had a 10 years chance to observe "mating" of guys with money. And my findings agree with yours. They usually marry younger girls of not supermodel types. The explanation is easy....skinny, pretty girls who can poise themselves  are abound in FSU, and thus easily replaceable. The girls who can offer a lot beyond the observable qualities of supermodel are not so easy to find. They can keep a man attention for a long time, developing a bond or fondness.  That is not to say that the majority of "models" are bad or something of the sort, no, but they often do not have a lot to offer after the sense of novelty fades and a man gets used to their physical attributes.  So guys quickly get bored with them despite the oh so promising start of their relationships. The "modals" that have inner substance often are left alone as they age and it is mystery for me to understand why. I know a few women of supermodel qualities with appeal who are not chased after

Very good post.
I would add these models have surely something in addition to others girls : more ego. One of the big quality of FSU girls is they are modest, modest in all dimensions. More ego, too much ego is not a quality. It is the same for men : those who show too much ego are forsaken, it is too boring. After few times you keep this sort of girl are mistress and focus on an other who has more "inner" qualities.

[timinua]

I just think that you have a problem of referential :
demonstration :
If the median wage (worth, after tax and with governemen help) is 2000 $ in France (so 50% or people earn more and 50 % of people earn less) and as  the median ukrainian wage is 400$.
So if you talk about a guy who earns in UK 5000, it is 12 x more than the median wage.
In France it means 24000$ per month. 24000$ per month in France, you are RICH, not super rich, but rich, you are between 0.5% and 0.1% of the top earners in France.

If you make a survey in Ukraine : "5000$ per month, do you consider that you are rich, ? i bet one bottle of champaign that at leats 90% of people would answer YES.

 

My wife will be so happy to find out that we're rich by French standards...

[Patagonie]

My wife will be so happy to find out that we're rich by French standards...

If i were you i would avoid it : she would ask you a Maserati 

[timinua]

If i were you i would avoid it : she would ask you a Maserati 

She drives a Hyundai...

[Gator]

RM and European men pursued her into her 40s with the occasional offer of marriage.   I will ask her about her "sister models."

The Cossack Woman and I sat down and discussed this.  Keep in mind her English is far from perfect, yet I feel the following is a reasonably accurate representation.
 
She was good friends with about 10 fellow models.  These women worked and traveled together for at least 5 years.  They made enough money to be highly selective about their choice of men.   
 
My Cossack woman's  observations may not be representative for all RW models because she avoided models who were not serious , especially those who looked for the the easy way (some even worked as high priced "prostitutes" for added income).
 
The worst news first.  One of her friends was murdered by two men in Sochi.  Sad, however, everyone else is doing fine.  No alcoholics.   
 
All models have married, and almost all have divorced and remarried.  Most models married European men and the remainder is split between AM and RM.   Many models have emigrated.  All save one have children.
 
The one model without children married a successful Russian business man, 10 years younger than her.   Reverse Age Gap Alert! 
 
One model has built her own agency and today is making BIG MONEY.
 

[seabee]

That must have been a real problem when you were in your 20's ...

  No problem, at that time I went foward 10, that how ya get the experience.  yuk, yuk

[vaiano777]

The question I'd be asking myself is " Do I not realize the chances of a young 20-something deciding she's ready to devote herself exclusively to me after a series of electronic letters are remote enough so as to defy logic and reason? " No offense, Calvin, but I worry that you're being played like a fiddle, or she's got motivation that will not appeal to you. I hope I'm wrong of course, but should you continue onwards, watch closely for cracks in the veneer.

Great response.