Enjoy the “weeds.” They feed the bees.

Stepping stones: Liminal spaces - spaces in between - draw my eye, and evoke a sense of possibility and discomfort, both. What lies on the other side of the creek? What awaits in the water?

Today's wars are fought with disinformation as well as with physical weapons. The first line of defense is journalism. My own Ukraine cash donations are going to RSF - Reporters sans frontières/Reporters Without Borders. If you agree and are able to help, please donate.

Here's one story, sent to its members by RSF today, about why it matters. Warning: it's gruesome. But so is war, and if this gives offense, don't read it.

Fixer tortured for 9 days by Russian soldiers in Ukraine

“Tortured with a knife and electric shocks, beaten repeatedly with rifle butts in the face and body, subjected to a mock execution, and left without food for 48 hours... ... Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has revealed the shocking story of a 32-year-old Radio France fixer and interpreter who was kidnapped and tortured by Russian soldiers in a village in central Ukraine. Nine days of horror that confirm the intensity of the war crimes being committed by the Russia army against journalists.

WARNING: THIS TESTIMONY CONTAINS SOME DETAILS WHICH COULD OFFEND SOME PEOPLE

“On 5 March, Nikita was ambushed by a Russian reconnaissance unit on the edge of a roadside forest while driving with a “Press” sign displayed on the front of the car. He recounts his car was hit by between 30 and 40 shots fired with automatic weapons.  After the soldiers took him to a house, he told them he was a fixer and interpreter for foreign journalists, but they hit him repeatedly with automatic rifle butts, in the face and body. Nikita felt pieces of teeth in his mouth and coughed up blood. The soldiers threw him into a ditch, beside a dead dog, and subjected him to a mock execution. A soldier pretended that he wanted to check that his gun was working and fired a shot that grazed Nikita's head.  The soldiers then took him to their camp in the forest about ten minutes' walk away. They tied him to a tree, stole his wedding ring, and removed his shoes. That afternoon, the soldiers beat him again with rifle butts and steel bars on his legs. He lost consciousness several times. He said the soldiers seemed to be doing this for amusement.  Blinded, half-stunned, Nikita was moved and tied to another tree, and later to yet another one. He spent nearly three days in the forest, tied to trees with his hands behind his back. On 6 March, he was interrogated by a soldier whom he took to be a colonel. He was asked about his activities. He spent another two days tied up in the forest. They finally stopped beating him, and other civilians were tied next to him. One of them, who was later released at the same time as Nikita, was contacted by RSF and corroborated his account.  A soldier rolled Nikita’s right trouser leg up to the knee and another gave him electric shocks. With his face pressed to the ground, Nikita was unable to see what instrument was used, but he counted three or four shocks, each lasting five to ten seconds. The pain was such that every second felt like an eternity. The other two civilians were also tortured. The one RSF contacted said that a bag was put over his head to prevent him from breathing, and that he was beaten very violently.  (…) On 13 March, Nikita was released in a forest after an hour’s drive. He thought he was going to be executed and ran. But he heard no shots and reached a road.RSF began looking for Nikita after being told he was missing by Radio France on 8 March. After his release, RSF was finally able to establish contact with him via the Press Freedom Centre opened in Lviv. His account was taken down by members of RSF’s Advocacy and Assistance units during several sessions on 17 and 18 March**.  An RSF employee accompanied him during his medical examination, which confirmed the physically mistreatment to which he had been subjected, in particular, the hematomas on his head and body, a swelling of the right leg, and numbness of the limbs that could be the result of electric shocks.  Noting that Nikita’s injuries were inflicted by the Russian army, the doctor went so far as to conclude that he had sustained “criminal trauma.” Nikita is now recovering. His family was able to escape.  RSF plans to pass Nikita’s disturbing testimony to the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.

"Thank you for your commitment to RSF, and for giving us the resources to take action and to assist journalists in distress like Nikita. And to be able to do this all over the world.  We are extremely grateful.”

-- The RSF team