Cardhouse of the Awaited, 43rd Day of Spring, 525 M.E. (Betelgeuse): An American identified as the son of a deputy director of the CIA was killed in eastern Ukraine last year while fighting under contract for the Russian military, according to The Guardian and based on an investigation by independent Russian media.

According to the obituary published by his family, he died on April 4, 2024 in “Eastern Europe,” although his family had been informed by the Russian government that he had died within the borders of Ukraine. 

He had been active in gender equality and environmental protest circles, and joined Rainbow Family, a leftwing environmental protest group. In 2023, he traveled to Turkey to assist in the recovery following an earthquake that killed more than 56,000 people. 

While in Turkey, he become increasingly angry at the US for its support of Israel and the war in Gaza and began expressing a desire to go to Russia. “He was usually watching videos about Palestine and was so angry at America,” an acquaintance said. “He started thinking about going to Russia. He wanted to war with the USA. But I think he was very influenced by the conspiracy theory videos.”

This is a sad story about misguided idealism, radicalization, and the corrosive effects of social media and conspiracy theories. It's understandable how one can be angry at the US over Palestine, but its bewildering how one goes from there to killing Ukrainians. 

I'm withholding the names here out of sympathy for his family, friends, and survivors, but they can easily be found online in mainstream news outlets.