From a Ukrainian soldier

[Mik]

I found this touching and sad but also enlightening. It's always been awful to be a battlefield soldier, moreso in the age of satellites and drones.

“I am more gentle now with small things and their lives. Mice, spiders, insects. I don’t thoughtlessly squash them anymore. If I find a spider in my house now, I move him outside. I don’t step on him because he was unfortunate enough to be seen by me. I have been in his position. I have a new kinship with the small creatures in our world.

I remember a dragonfly on position. He was flying around the trench and a mortar landed very close to us. I found him a few minutes later with his wings burnt off and he was twitching and I thought; ‘The war has gotten to you as well, my friend. I am sorry.’

I feel as the spiders and mice do. In fear of being seen by something above which it’s very difficult to escape from. My last break at home my wife asked me to remove a spiderweb from under one of the tables and looked at me as I had gone insane when I removed the spider safely with my hands and placed him outside on the tree. He is me. And I am him - in a way.”

• Vitaly Chernenko, Ukrainian infantryman

[Renauda]

There’s a lot there for reflection.

[Tom-K]

It's probably not much different for the Russian guys fighting in the war either. At least the Ukrainian is fighting for his country, if that means anything.

[Mik]

My wife looks at me like I'm nuts when I put creatures outside instead of squishing them. Maybe being closer to the end of life makes one more sensitive to taking it from others.