Silicon Curtain

Ben Hodges is a retired United States Army officer, who became commander of United States Army Europe in November 2014, and held that position for three years until retiring from the United States Army in January 2018. Until recently he was the Pershing Chair in Strategic Studies, at the Centre for European Policy Analysis, specialising in NATO, Transatlantic relationship and international security. ----------ACTIVE CAMPAIGN:We are raising funds for 5 of 15 Vampire DronesSilicon Curtain for Kupiansk Vampires. Dzyga's Paw, together with Jonathan Fink, is joining forces to raise $40,000 to provide the Khartiia Brigade with Vampire Drones.https://dzygaspaw.com/silicon-curtain-for-kupiansk-vampiresThese heavy bombers are designed to destroy manpower and equipment, as well as for remote mining. The Vampire UAV, manufactured by Skyfall, has proven itself to be one of the most effective weapons in the Kupiansk direction. Skyfall is one of Ukraine's largest defense tech companies, producing Vampire bomber drones, various modifications of Shrike FPV drones, P1-SUN, Shahed drone interceptors, communication systems, and components.----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------PLATFORMS:Substack: https://substack.com/@siliconcurtainTwitter: https://twitter.com/CurtainSiliconLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finkjonathan/Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4thRZj6NO7y93zG11JMtqm----------

Welcome to our monthly conversation with Konstantin, who is one of the most respected voices on YouTube about what is happening Inside Russia. Konstantin Samoilov is a well-known YouTuber whose channel ‘Inside Russia' comments insightfully on Russia's decent into authoritarianism over the last few years. But now, like many others, he's outside Russia, with no idea of when he can return there. ----------LINKS: @INSIDERUSSIA https://www.patreon.com/insiderussiaINSIDE RUSSIA is a source of current news on Russia - Konstantin carefully selects 9 news stories that are important and really matter, with commentaries and analyses by Konstantin delivered daily to channel patrons at Patreon.comGet your access to daily news updates at patreon.com/INSIDERUSSIA----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------ACTIVE CAMPAIGN:We are raising funds for 5 of 15 Vampire DronesSilicon Curtain for Kupiansk Vampires. Dzyga's Paw, together with Jonathan Fink, is joining forces to raise $40,000 to provide the Khartiia Brigade with Vampire Drones.https://dzygaspaw.com/silicon-curtain-for-kupiansk-vampiresThese heavy bombers are designed to destroy manpower and equipment, as well as for remote mining. The Vampire UAV, manufactured by Skyfall, has proven itself to be one of the most effective weapons in the Kupiansk direction. Skyfall is one of Ukraine's largest defense tech companies, producing Vampire bomber drones, various modifications of Shrike FPV drones, P1-SUN, Shahed drone interceptors, communication systems, and components.----------DESCRIPTION: Russia's Internet Shutdown: Privileges Revoked, Hidden Mobilization, and a Possible Plot to Replace PutinJonathan speaks with Constance Sala about Russia's accelerating slide into authoritarianism, arguing that in the absence of rule of law Russians have privileges—not rights—and the state is now revoking “internet access” as another privilege. Sala describes longtime expectations among expats and foreign bloggers of having an “exit plan,” and says he warned since 2022 that YouTube and broader internet restrictions would arrive. They discuss how shutdowns, forced migration to a state-controlled app (Max), phone checks for VPNs/Telegram, and collapsing business activity could enable criminalization and “hidden mobilization,” while also severing horizontal social ties. Sala claims lawlessness has crossed a Rubicon, cites opaque mass livestock slaughter in Novosibirsk, and advances a theory that elites may be deliberately worsening conditions to frame Putin and install a new “savior,” likely ending the war as a first move. ----------CHAPTERS:02:05 Internet as Privilege04:00 Expats Always Ready08:12 Bans Finally Arrive09:40 No Rights in Russia11:19 Bubbles Burst by State13:32 Hidden Mobilization Setup15:58 Phone Checks and Drafting17:50 Propaganda and Belief20:10 Lawlessness and Max App23:27 Zero Trust and Middle Class27:35 Middle Class Crushed27:54 Internet Fragmentation Plan30:05 No Masks No Excuses31:32 Putin Set Up Theory36:11 Farmers And Cow Slaughter39:13 Why Novosibirsk Sparks40:27 Akademgorodok Dissent Roots42:39 Engineered Savior Coup46:08 1917 Parallels And Peace----------

David DeBatto is host of the ‘No Delusion Zone' podcast @NoDelusionZone is a retired U.S. Army Counterintelligence Special Agent, a geopolitical analyst, writer, and podcaster. David is an Iraq war veteran who served as Team Leader of a Tactical Human Intelligence Team (THT) in operations within Iraq and is also a former police officer. David is considered too conservative for the progressive left and too independent minded for the radical right and seeks to challenge political dogma and the naked self-interest of politicians.----------LINKS:@NoDelusionZone https://www.protectingtherepublic.com/podcasthttps://www.protectingtherepublic.com/https://substack.com/@protectingtherepublichttps://x.com/ddebattohttps://www.kyivpost.com/authors/743----------SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon Curtainhttps://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur events of the first half of the year in Lviv, Kyiv and Odesa were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run a minimum of 12 events in 2025, and potentially many more. Any support you can provide for the fundraising campaign would be gratefully appreciated. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND:Save Ukrainehttps://www.saveukraineua.org/Superhumans - Hospital for war traumashttps://superhumans.com/en/UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukrainehttps://unbroken.org.ua/Come Back Alivehttps://savelife.in.ua/en/Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchenhttps://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraineUNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyyhttps://u24.gov.ua/Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundationhttps://prytulafoundation.orgNGO “Herojam Slava”https://heroiamslava.org/kharpp - Reconstruction project supporting communities in Kharkiv and Przemyslhttps://kharpp.com/NOR DOG Animal Rescuehttps://www.nor-dog.org/home/----------

Silicon Bites Ep314 | 2026-04-08 | Putin's quiet mobilisation and the breaking of the economic volunteer model. 409,000. That's how many men Vladimir Putin needs to push into uniform in 2026 to keep his war running. It's the figure Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi put on the record in February — Russia intends to draft over 400,000 people this year and stand up at least eleven new divisions. Four hundred thousand bodies to feed into the Pokrovsk meat grinder, into the Kupyansk line, into the drone killing fields of Donetsk Oblast.Putin has created an outsourced Gulag – where any infringement of the law, any threat to the regime will get you sent to the front – a one-way ticket for anyone other than the convict class of Wagner. Where the poor and powerless, where ethnic and identity minorities, where opponents and zealots can be sent to the outsourced concentration camp of the Donbas. ----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------SOURCES:Institute for the Study of War (ISW) — Analysis on Kremlin preparations for hidden draft, February 2026. Kyiv Independent — "Putin signs law allowing year-round conscription in Russia," November 4, 2025. Kyiv Post — "Putin Signs Decree to Call Up Reservists for 2026 Training," December 9, 2025. Kyiv Post — "Russian Regional Boss Orders Businesses to Find Army 'Volunteers' Among Employees" (Ryazan / Malkov decree), late March 2026. The Moscow Times — Reporting on Ryazan decree No. 17, March 2026. dagens.com / Obozrevatel — "Russia may turn to forced conscription, analysts warn" (recruitment dropping below losses), March 2026. Meduza — "Russia's conscription system will become year-round starting January 1," December 30, 2025. The Moscow Times — "Russia's New Military Recruits Dipped in 2025, Figures Show," January 16, 2026. The Moscow Times — "Regions Reintroduce Huge Sign-On Bonuses for Contract Soldiers After Lowering Payments in 2025," January 14, 2026. The Moscow Times — "Regions Calling: Governments Cut Back on Once-Lucrative Military Enlistment Payments," January 6, 2026.----------SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon Curtainhttps://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur events of the first half of the year in Lviv, Kyiv and Odesa were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run a minimum of 12 events in 2025, and potentially many more. Any support you can provide for the fundraising campaign would be gratefully appreciated. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasWe need to scale up our support for Ukraine, and these events are designed to have a major impact. Your support in making it happen is greatly appreciated. All events will be recorded professionally and published for free on the Silicon Curtain channel. Where possible, we will also live-stream events.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------

2026-04-08 | UPDATES #167 | The day Russia lost the war: four years on from the retreat from Kyiv. Not the grinding meat-grinder war in the Donbas – which is a front in the broad conflict. Not the war of attrition that is still burning through Russian soldiers and Russian armour at a rate Moscow cannot replace. The actual war – the long war. The war Putin thought he was launching on 24 February 2022 — a three-day lightning strike, a decapitation of Kyiv, a puppet government installed by the end of the week, a victory parade on Khreshchatyk by the tenth day. That war was by 8 April 2022. The Kremlin just refused to accept the verdict. And refuses to this day to acknowledge that there was no strategic win to be gained, only incremental failure towards long-term loss. Four years later, we are still living inside the consequences of a man who lost his war but decided to keep fighting it anyway or at least sacrificing his people and resources to perpetuate the delusion that Russia could still win.----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------A REQUEST FOR HELP!I'm heading back to Kyiv next month, to film, do research and conduct interviews. The logistics and need for equipment and clothing are a little higher than for my previous trips. It will be cold, and may be dark also. If you can, please assist to ensure I can make this trip a success. My commitment to the audience of the channel, will be to bring back compelling interviews conducted in Ukraine, and to use the experience to improve the quality of the channel, it's insights and impact. Let Ukraine and democracy prevail! https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrashttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformationNONE OF THIS CAN HAPPEN WITHOUT YOU!So what's next? We're going to Kyiv in April 2026 to film on the ground, and will record interviews with some huge guests. We'll be creating opportunities for new interviews, and to connect you with the reality of a European city under escalating winter attack, from an imperialist, genocidal power. PLEASE HELP ME ME TO GROW SILICON CURTAINWe are planning our events for 2026, and to do more and have a greater impact. After achieving more than 12 events in 2025, we will aim to double that! 24 events and interviews on the ground in Ukraine, to push back against weaponized information, toxic propaganda and corrosive disinformation. Please help us make it happen!----------SOURCES: Wikipedia (consolidated) — "2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine" and "Russo-Ukrainian war (2022–present)." Accessed April 2026.Wikipedia — "Battle of Bucha." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_BuchaChronicleAI / Kyiv dispatch — "Four Years On: EU Diplomats Converge on Kyiv to Mark Bucha Massacre, Vow Justice," April 2026. Euronews — "Romanian foreign minister in Kyiv on Bucha anniversary to witness 'moment of resilience,'" April 3, 2026. RFE/RL — "'Sea Of Pain': Emotional Ceremonies Held Across Ukraine As Russia's Full-Scale Invasion Enters 5th Year," February 24, 2026. UN News — "Ukraine: Bucha and Irpin rise from the ashes of Russian military occupation," February 2024. NPR — "Ravaged by Russian troops, Ukraine's Bucha rises from the ashes," July 2023. EUvsDisinfo — "In April 2022 Russians withdrew from Kyiv to demonstrate their readiness for peace" (debunking). Russia Matters (Harvard Kennedy School) — "The Russia-Ukraine War Report Card," March 25, 2026. Russia Matters — "The Russia-Ukraine War Report Card," March 18, 2026. ----------

Yuri Rashkin live in London. LINKS:https://rashkinreport.substack.com/https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/rashkin-report/id1183073638----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------Silicon Curtain is a part of the Christmas Tree Trucks 2025 campaign - an ambitious fundraiser led by a group of our wonderful team of information warriors raising 110,000 EUR for the Ukrainian army. https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/christmas-tree-trucks-2025-silicon-curtainThe Goal of the Campaign for the Silicon Curtain community:- 1 armoured battle-ready pickupWe are sourcing all vehicles around 2010-2017 or newer, mainly Toyota Hilux or Mitsubishi L200, with low mileage and fully serviced. These are some of the greatest and the most reliable pickups possible to be on the frontline in Ukraine. Who will receive the vehicles?https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/christmas-tree-trucks-2025-silicon-curtain- The 38th Marine Brigade, who alone held Krynki for 124 days, receiving the Military Cross of Honour.- The 1027th Anti-aircraft and artillery regiment. Honoured by NATO as Defender of the Year 2024 and recipient of the Military Cross of Honour.- 104th Separate Brigade, Infantry, who alone held Kherson for 100 days, establishing conditions for the liberation of the city.- 93rd Brigade "Kholodnyi Yar", Black Raven Unmanned Systems Battalion ----------SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon Curtainhttps://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur events of the first half of the year in Lviv, Kyiv and Odesa were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run a minimum of 12 events in 2025, and potentially many more. Any support you can provide for the fundraising campaign would be gratefully appreciated. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasWe need to scale up our support for Ukraine, and these events are designed to have a major impact. Your support in making it happen is greatly appreciated. All events will be recorded professionally and published for free on the Silicon Curtain channel. Where possible, we will also live-stream events.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND:Save Ukrainehttps://www.saveukraineua.org/Superhumans - Hospital for war traumashttps://superhumans.com/en/UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukrainehttps://unbroken.org.ua/Come Back Alivehttps://savelife.in.ua/en/Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchenhttps://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraineUNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyyhttps://u24.gov.ua/Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundationhttps://prytulafoundation.orgNGO “Herojam Slava”https://heroiamslava.org/kharpp - Reconstruction project supporting communities in Kharkiv and Przemyslhttps://kharpp.com/NOR DOG Animal Rescuehttps://www.nor-dog.org/home/-----------

Livestream with Yuri RashkinLINKS:https://rashkinreport.substack.com/https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/rashkin-report/id1183073638----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------Silicon Curtain is a part of the Christmas Tree Trucks 2025 campaign - an ambitious fundraiser led by a group of our wonderful team of information warriors raising 110,000 EUR for the Ukrainian army. https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/christmas-tree-trucks-2025-silicon-curtainThe Goal of the Campaign for the Silicon Curtain community:- 1 armoured battle-ready pickupWe are sourcing all vehicles around 2010-2017 or newer, mainly Toyota Hilux or Mitsubishi L200, with low mileage and fully serviced. These are some of the greatest and the most reliable pickups possible to be on the frontline in Ukraine. Who will receive the vehicles?https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/christmas-tree-trucks-2025-silicon-curtain- The 38th Marine Brigade, who alone held Krynki for 124 days, receiving the Military Cross of Honour.- The 1027th Anti-aircraft and artillery regiment. Honoured by NATO as Defender of the Year 2024 and recipient of the Military Cross of Honour.- 104th Separate Brigade, Infantry, who alone held Kherson for 100 days, establishing conditions for the liberation of the city.- 93rd Brigade "Kholodnyi Yar", Black Raven Unmanned Systems Battalion ----------SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon Curtainhttps://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur events of the first half of the year in Lviv, Kyiv and Odesa were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run a minimum of 12 events in 2025, and potentially many more. Any support you can provide for the fundraising campaign would be gratefully appreciated. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasWe need to scale up our support for Ukraine, and these events are designed to have a major impact. Your support in making it happen is greatly appreciated. All events will be recorded professionally and published for free on the Silicon Curtain channel. Where possible, we will also live-stream events.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND:Save Ukrainehttps://www.saveukraineua.org/Superhumans - Hospital for war traumashttps://superhumans.com/en/UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukrainehttps://unbroken.org.ua/Come Back Alivehttps://savelife.in.ua/en/Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchenhttps://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraineUNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyyhttps://u24.gov.ua/Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundationhttps://prytulafoundation.orgNGO “Herojam Slava”https://heroiamslava.org/kharpp - Reconstruction project supporting communities in Kharkiv and Przemyslhttps://kharpp.com/NOR DOG Animal Rescuehttps://www.nor-dog.org/home/-----------

Eka Gigauri is a Georgian anti-corruption and democracy advocate best known as the Executive Director of Transparency International Georgia, a role she has held since November 2010. Under her leadership, TI Georgia expanded its staff, opened regional offices, and became one of the country's most prominent watchdog organizations focused on corruption, governance, elections, and democratic accountability. She has also served on the board of the global Transparency International movement. Eka Gigauri is a Georgian anti-corruption campaigner and A former senior official in Georgia's Border Police, she has become one of the country's best-known civil-society voices warning of state capture, democratic erosion, and the authoritarian turn under Georgian Dream. ----------LINKS:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eka_Gigaurihttps://transparencyschool.org/lecturer/eka-gigauri/https://www.opengovpartnership.org/people/eka-gigauri/https://www.linkedin.com/in/gigaurieka/----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND:Car4Ukrainehttps://car4ukraine.com/en-US/campaignsDzyga's Pawhttps://dzygaspaw.com/projectsSuperhumans - Hospital for war traumashttps://superhumans.com/en/UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukrainehttps://unbroken.org.ua/Come Back Alivehttps://savelife.in.ua/en/Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchenhttps://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraineUNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyyhttps://u24.gov.ua/Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundationhttps://prytulafoundation.orgNGO “Herojam Slava”https://heroiamslava.org/----------PLATFORMS:Substack: https://substack.com/@siliconcurtainTwitter: https://twitter.com/CurtainSiliconLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finkjonathan/Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4thRZj6NO7y93zG11JMtqm----------

David DeBatto is host of the ‘No Delusion Zone' podcast @NoDelusionZone is a retired U.S. Army Counterintelligence Special Agent, a geopolitical analyst, writer, and podcaster. David is an Iraq war veteran who served as Team Leader of a Tactical Human Intelligence Team (THT) in operations within Iraq and is also a former police officer. David is considered too conservative for the progressive left and too independent minded for the radical right and seeks to challenge political dogma and the naked self-interest of politicians. ----------LINKS:@NoDelusionZone https://www.protectingtherepublic.com/podcasthttps://www.protectingtherepublic.com/https://substack.com/@protectingtherepublichttps://x.com/ddebattohttps://www.kyivpost.com/authors/743----------SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon Curtainhttps://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur events of the first half of the year in Lviv, Kyiv and Odesa were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run a minimum of 12 events in 2025, and potentially many more. Any support you can provide for the fundraising campaign would be gratefully appreciated. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND:Save Ukrainehttps://www.saveukraineua.org/Superhumans - Hospital for war traumashttps://superhumans.com/en/UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukrainehttps://unbroken.org.ua/Come Back Alivehttps://savelife.in.ua/en/Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchenhttps://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraineUNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyyhttps://u24.gov.ua/Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundationhttps://prytulafoundation.orgNGO “Herojam Slava”https://heroiamslava.org/kharpp - Reconstruction project supporting communities in Kharkiv and Przemyślhttps://kharpp.com/NOR DOG Animal Rescuehttps://www.nor-dog.org/home/----------

Silicon Bites Ep313 | 2026-04-07 | Today, Moscow's man in Budapest. The spying, the lies, and the election that could change everything. Add to an already complex story, the spectacle of Orbán, Vance, and the audacity of their interference accusations. Five days out from the Hungarian election, and the mask is off. On Tuesday, April 7th, US Vice President JD Vance landed in Budapest. For a campaign rally. For overt election interference, while having the gall to proclaim Hungary a shining beacon of democracy and freedom in Europe. He stood next to Viktor Orbán — the prime minister who has spent sixteen years dismantling Hungarian democracy, who has been Moscow's most reliable asset inside both NATO and the European Union — and told Hungarians that the real threat to their election was, and I quote him directly from the Balkan Insight and France 24 reports of his press conference, the "bureaucrats in Brussels" engaged in "foreign election interference." Vance accused Brussels of trying to destroy the Hungarian economy and stifle free speech, and declared flatly, "Viktor Orban is going to win the next election." The lies and hypocrisy are now off the scale. ----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------SOURCES:VSquare / The Insider / ICJK Consortium — Leaked audio recordings of Szijjártó-Lavrov calls (published March 31, 2026) — Primary: "I am always at your disposal"; oligarch sanctions removal; Gazprom HQ visitEuronews — "Leaked call shows Szijjártó discussing EU sanctions removal with Russia's Lavrov" (March 31, 2026) — Ismailova delisting timeline; Szijjártó defends calls as "routine diplomacy"Reuters / U.S. News — "Hungary Foreign Minister Discussed EU Sanctions With Russia in Leaked Audio" (March 31, 2026) — Szijjártó: "We will do our best in order to get her off"; VSquare verified by external audio expertsIrish Times — "Hungary under fire after leaked audio reveals efforts to help Russia overturn EU sanctions" (March 31, 2026) — Tusk: "Is there anything more disgusting?"; Martin: "very sinister development"; Germany: "very serious"Kyiv Post — "'I Am Always at Your Disposal' – Hungary's Szijjártó Heard Promising Russia's Lavrov to Delist Sanctioned Oligarchs" (April 1, 2026) — 72 out of 128 entities removed; Sorokin call; EU intelligence officer: "this is a transcript of an intelligence officer working his asset"Ukrainska Pravda — "Szijjártó helps Russia: recordings of conversations with Lavrov regarding EU sanctions have appeared" (March 31, 2026) — "Did I say something wrong?"; Landsbergis reference; Washington Post background on live EU briefings----------SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon Curtainhttps://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur events of the first half of the year in Lviv, Kyiv and Odesa were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run a minimum of 12 events in 2025, and potentially many more. Any support you can provide for the fundraising campaign would be gratefully appreciated. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasWe need to scale up our support for Ukraine, and these events are designed to have a major impact. Your support in making it happen is greatly appreciated. All events will be recorded professionally and published for free on the Silicon Curtain channel. Where possible, we will also live-stream events.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------

2026-04-07 | UPDATES #166 | Russia goes offline, and Muscovites are not ‘loving it.' Cheburnet arrives, and Russians discover consequences. On Friday morning, April 3rd, at around ten o'clock Moscow time, Russia stopped working. The money stopped dispensing and flowing. Sberbank — Russia's largest lender — went down. Then VTB. Then T-Bank. Then Alfa-Bank. Then Gazprombank. Then the Central Bank's own Faster Payments System, the interbank rail that processes QR code transfers and phone-number payments. All of it, simultaneously, across Moscow, St Petersburg, Samara, Novosibirsk, the Sverdlovsk region, Chelyabinsk.Card terminals in shops threw errors. ATMs refused to dispense cash. Mobile banking apps wouldn't open. In the Moscow metro, turnstiles stopped accepting bank cards — staff had to wave passengers through for free just to stop crowds forming. Petrol stations demanded cash. A regional zoo in Belgorod put up a sign asking visitors to pay in physical roubles. Traffic jams stretched for kilometres on toll roads because the payment gates wouldn't read cards. Sberbank alone logged more than four thousand complaints in a single hour. This is the sound of a country sliding towards a digital cage. The Kremlin is the one building it, and Russians are only just waking up to the realisation they have no rights, and soon will have no privileges. ----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------A REQUEST FOR HELP!I'm heading back to Kyiv next month, to film, do research and conduct interviews. The logistics and need for equipment and clothing are a little higher than for my previous trips. It will be cold, and may be dark also. If you can, please assist to ensure I can make this trip a success. My commitment to the audience of the channel, will be to bring back compelling interviews conducted in Ukraine, and to use the experience to improve the quality of the channel, it's insights and impact. Let Ukraine and democracy prevail! https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrashttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformationNONE OF THIS CAN HAPPEN WITHOUT YOU!So what's next? We're going to Kyiv in April 2026 to film on the ground, and will record interviews with some huge guests. We'll be creating opportunities for new interviews, and to connect you with the reality of a European city under escalating winter attack, from an imperialist, genocidal power. PLEASE HELP ME ME TO GROW SILICON CURTAINWe are planning our events for 2026, and to do more and have a greater impact. After achieving more than 12 events in 2025, we will aim to double that! 24 events and interviews on the ground in Ukraine, to push back against weaponized information, toxic propaganda and corrosive disinformation. Please help us make it happen!----------SOURCES: The Moscow Times — "Mass Outage Hits Sberbank and Other Major Russian Lenders," April 3, Kyiv Independent — "Russia's banks face major service outages amid internet crackdown," April 3, 2026. The Record (Recorded Future News) — "Major outage hits Russian banking apps, metro payments across regions," April 6, 2026. Security Affairs — "Major outage cripples Russian banking apps and metro payments nationwide," April 6, 2026. AInvest — "Russia's VPN Crackdown: A $1B+ Banking Outage and the Cost of Digital Control," April 6, 2026. Reuters via Global Banking and Finance — "Moscow Payment System Problem Disrupts Shoppers, Metro & Retailers," April 3, 2026. The New Voice of Ukraine (NV) — "Russia bank outage halts payments and blocks cash withdrawals across key regions," April 3, 2026. Mediazona (English) — "Russia's internet censorship in 2026: VPN crackdowns, mobile shutdowns, Telegram blocks and the state messenger Max," April 7, 2026. ----------

Joe Lindsley is a traveller and a writer; until recently he held the unique distinction of reporting from Ukraine every weekday of Russia's full-scale war for a U.S radio station. Now he is the founder and host of Under Fire News, a multi-platform media campaign aiming to keep Ukraine in the headlines. He was protégé to Fox News founder Roger Ailes, but Lindsley escaped that frenzied world where power mattered more than truth. Joe remains in Ukraine to help the world understand what is at stake in this fight, the nature of Ukrainian freedom, and what we can learn from Volya – Will to win.----------LINKS:https://underfire.news/https://underfirenews.substack.com/https://www.facebook.com/josephlindsley/https://www.youtube.com/@jplindsleyhttps://x.com/JPLindsleyhttps://www.instagram.com/jplindsley/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Lindsley https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-lindsley-60087618/https://linktr.ee/ufnews ----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------ACTIVE CAMPAIGN:We are raising funds for 5 of 15 Vampire DronesSilicon Curtain for Kupiansk Vampires. Dzyga's Paw, together with Jonathan Fink, is joining forces to raise $40,000 to provide the Khartiia Brigade with Vampire Drones.https://dzygaspaw.com/silicon-curtain-for-kupiansk-vampiresThese heavy bombers are designed to destroy manpower and equipment, as well as for remote mining. The Vampire UAV, manufactured by Skyfall, has proven itself to be one of the most effective weapons in the Kupiansk direction. Skyfall is one of Ukraine's largest defense tech companies, producing Vampire bomber drones, various modifications of Shrike FPV drones, P1-SUN, Shahed drone interceptors, communication systems, and components.----------TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND:Car4Ukrainehttps://car4ukraine.com/en-US/campaignsDzyga's Pawhttps://dzygaspaw.com/projectsSuperhumans - Hospital for war traumashttps://superhumans.com/en/UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukrainehttps://unbroken.org.ua/Come Back Alivehttps://savelife.in.ua/en/Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchenhttps://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraineUNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyyhttps://u24.gov.ua/Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundationhttps://prytulafoundation.orgNGO “Herojam Slava”https://heroiamslava.org/----------PLATFORMS:Substack: https://substack.com/@siliconcurtainTwitter: https://twitter.com/CurtainSiliconLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finkjonathan/Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4thRZj6NO7y93zG11JMtqm----------DESCRIPTION:Russia's War on Faith: Attacks on Ukrainian Christians, Lviv Strike, and Europe's Missed Deterrence | Joseph LindsleyTraveler and journalist Joseph Lindsley, founder of Under Fire News reporting from Kyiv, discusses Russia's persecution of Christians in Ukraine, including targeted repression in occupied territories where Greek Catholicism, Roman Catholicism, evangelical churches, and Ukrainian Orthodoxy are illegal, and reports that 49 clergy have been killed, often after torture, with churches repurposed as Russian cultural centers. He says the wider war attacks one of Europe's most actively Christian societies, citing high Ukrainian church attendance and a visible religious revival. The conversation highlights a drone strike that hit a centuries-old monastery complex in UNESCO-protected central Lviv, arguing it should wake up the West, and calls for Europe to take visible steps such as sending uniformed non-combatant troops to assess air defense and vulnerabilities. ----------

David DeBatto is host of the ‘No Delusion Zone' podcast @NoDelusionZone is a retired U.S. Army Counterintelligence Special Agent, a geopolitical analyst, writer, and podcaster. David is an Iraq war veteran who served as Team Leader of a Tactical Human Intelligence Team (THT) in operations within Iraq and is also a former police officer. David is considered too conservative for the progressive left and too independent minded for the radical right and seeks to challenge political dogma and the naked self-interest of politicians. ----------LINKS:@NoDelusionZone https://www.protectingtherepublic.com/podcasthttps://www.protectingtherepublic.com/https://substack.com/@protectingtherepublichttps://x.com/ddebattohttps://www.kyivpost.com/authors/743----------SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon Curtainhttps://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur events of the first half of the year in Lviv, Kyiv and Odesa were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run a minimum of 12 events in 2025, and potentially many more. Any support you can provide for the fundraising campaign would be gratefully appreciated. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND:Save Ukrainehttps://www.saveukraineua.org/Superhumans - Hospital for war traumashttps://superhumans.com/en/UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukrainehttps://unbroken.org.ua/Come Back Alivehttps://savelife.in.ua/en/Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchenhttps://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraineUNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyyhttps://u24.gov.ua/Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundationhttps://prytulafoundation.orgNGO “Herojam Slava”https://heroiamslava.org/kharpp - Reconstruction project supporting communities in Kharkiv and Przemyślhttps://kharpp.com/NOR DOG Animal Rescuehttps://www.nor-dog.org/home/----------

2026-04-06 | UPDATES #165 | Ukraine takes the war to Russia's oil jugular. Novorossiysk is burning, again. Russia's most important oil export hub on the Black Sea — the endpoint for pipelines carrying crude from Siberia, the Urals, and Kazakhstan — was hammered overnight by more than fifty Ukrainian drones, in what multiple analysts are calling the most ambitious and damaging Ukrainian strike on the port to date.The West is telling Ukraine to ease up. And Ukraine is telling the West, no, through its actions. What are some of the so-called Western partners really asking – whether Ukraine can destroy itself, and submit to the invader, for their convenience. Die, to buy to West some time, while they fail to prepare for the Russian threat. The optics of this are gross, the hypocrisy nauseating and the lack of strategic understanding and myopia just astounding. If Russia is strengthened through oil and gas revenues, it's profile as a threat to Europe simply increases.And it wasn't just oil infrastructure. Ukraine hit a Russian missile frigate. It hit an offshore drilling rig. It hit a Be-12 amphibious aircraft in occupied Crimea. All in the same night. All while Russia was simultaneously raining drones on Odesa — killing three people there, including a toddler.----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------A REQUEST FOR HELP!I'm heading back to Kyiv next month, to film, do research and conduct interviews. The logistics and need for equipment and clothing are a little higher than for my previous trips. It will be cold, and may be dark also. If you can, please assist to ensure I can make this trip a success. My commitment to the audience of the channel, will be to bring back compelling interviews conducted in Ukraine, and to use the experience to improve the quality of the channel, it's insights and impact. Let Ukraine and democracy prevail! https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrashttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformationNONE OF THIS CAN HAPPEN WITHOUT YOU!So what's next? We're going to Kyiv in April 2026 to film on the ground, and will record interviews with some huge guests. We'll be creating opportunities for new interviews, and to connect you with the reality of a European city under escalating winter attack, from an imperialist, genocidal power. PLEASE HELP ME ME TO GROW SILICON CURTAINWe are planning our events for 2026, and to do more and have a greater impact. After achieving more than 12 events in 2025, we will aim to double that! 24 events and interviews on the ground in Ukraine, to push back against weaponized information, toxic propaganda and corrosive disinformation. Please help us make it happen!----------SOURCES: Kyiv Independent — "Novorossiysk port on fire again as Ukrainian strike campaign on Russian oil. Kyiv Independent — "Ukraine targets Russian frigate, oil rig amid overnight Black Sea attack, military says," April 6, 2026. Kyiv Post — "Ukraine Nails Russian Missile Frigate in Novorossiysk Strike, Hits Black Sea Rig," April 6, 2026.Kyiv Post — "Ukrainian Drone Attack Badly Damages Russia's Main Black Sea Oil Terminal," April 6, 2026.Al Jazeera — "Ukraine strikes Russian Black Sea energy hub Novorossiysk," April 6, 2026. The Moscow Times — "Ukrainian Drone Attack Triggers Fire at Key Russian Black Sea Oil Terminal," April 6, 2026. Reuters via MarineLink — "Ukrainian Drones Attack Caspian Pipeline Consortium's Black Sea Terminal," April 6, 2026. Defence Blog — "Ukraine strikes key Russian oil terminal," April 6, 2026. ----------

2026-04-05 | UPDATES #164 | Orbán's Pipeline Plot, Russia's Election Machine, and the Seven Days That Could Kill Hungarian Democracy. Today — Sunday, April 5th, 2026 — exactly seven days before Hungary goes to the polls in what may be the most consequential election in European history this year — two backpacks containing what Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic described as explosives of "devastating power" were found a few hundred metres from the TurkStream gas pipeline in northern Serbia, near the Hungarian border.Within hours, Viktor Orbán convened an extraordinary defence council in Budapest. He posted on Facebook that Serbian authorities had uncovered "a powerful explosive device and activation mechanisms at a critical gas infrastructure site linking Serbia and Hungary." The investigation is underway. The pipeline carries Russian natural gas from Turkey through the Balkans to Hungary and Central Europe. If you have been watching the Hungarian election campaign, this moment was not a surprise. It was predicted. Warned about. Flagged by intelligence services, investigative journalists, opposition leaders, and European policy analysts — for weeks. What you are watching may be the most telegraphed false flag operation in modern European political history. And it is happening right now.----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------A REQUEST FOR HELP!I'm heading back to Kyiv next month, to film, do research and conduct interviews. The logistics and need for equipment and clothing are a little higher than for my previous trips. It will be cold, and may be dark also. If you can, please assist to ensure I can make this trip a success. My commitment to the audience of the channel, will be to bring back compelling interviews conducted in Ukraine, and to use the experience to improve the quality of the channel, it's insights and impact. Let Ukraine and democracy prevail! https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrashttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformationNONE OF THIS CAN HAPPEN WITHOUT YOU!So what's next? We're going to Kyiv in April 2026 to film on the ground, and will record interviews with some huge guests. We'll be creating opportunities for new interviews, and to connect you with the reality of a European city under escalating winter attack, from an imperialist, genocidal power. PLEASE HELP ME ME TO GROW SILICON CURTAINWe are planning our events for 2026, and to do more and have a greater impact. After achieving more than 12 events in 2025, we will aim to double that! 24 events and interviews on the ground in Ukraine, to push back against weaponized information, toxic propaganda and corrosive disinformation. Please help us make it happen!----------SOURCES: Reuters via Global Banking & Finance — "Explosives Found Near Serbia-Hungary Gas Pipeline, Orban Warns," April 5, 2026.Bloomberg — "Serbia's Vucic Says Explosive Found at Gas Pipe Near Hungary," April 5, 2026.Türkiye Today — "Explosives found close to major gas pipeline in northern Serbia near Hungary," April 5, 2026.Arab News — "Serbian president says explosives found near gas pipeline to Hungary," April 5, 2026.Daily News Hungary — "Explosives found near Serbia-Hungary gas pipeline, army seals roads near border," April 5, 2026.Report.az — "Serbia thwarts sabotage attempt on key energy facility," April 5, 2026.Washington Post — "To tilt Hungarian election, Russians proposed staging assassination attempt," March 21, 2026.Insight News Media — "Magyar accuses Russia of deploying GRU agents to sway Hungary vote," March 2026.Balkan Insight / BIRN — "Hungary's Election Campaign: From Russia with Love," March 18, 2026.----------

Today I'm speaking with Anders Puck Nielsen, military analyst and influential YouTuber based in Denmark. He specialises in naval warfare and strategy. His public project now spans a YouTube channel, the Logic of War newsletter, and the book The Logic of War, which he describes as an accessible introduction to modern warfare.----------LINKS:https://www.youtube.com/@anderspuck https://www.logicofwar.com/https://www.anderspucknielsen.dk/home/https://twitter.com/anderspuckhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/anderspucknielsen/https://bsky.app/profile/anderspucknielsen.dk----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND:Car4Ukrainehttps://car4ukraine.com/en-US/campaignsDzyga's Pawhttps://dzygaspaw.com/projectsSuperhumans - Hospital for war traumashttps://superhumans.com/en/UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukrainehttps://unbroken.org.ua/Come Back Alivehttps://savelife.in.ua/en/Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchenhttps://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraineUNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyyhttps://u24.gov.ua/Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundationhttps://prytulafoundation.orgNGO “Herojam Slava”https://heroiamslava.org/----------PLATFORMS:Substack: https://substack.com/@siliconcurtainTwitter: https://twitter.com/CurtainSiliconLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finkjonathan/Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4thRZj6NO7y93zG11JMtqm----------

Zarina Zabrisky is an American writer based in the Bay Area, California. She is the author of the novel, We, Monsters, several collections of short stories, including Explosion, A Cute Tombstone and her debut work, Iron, and a book of collaborative poetry and art, Green Lions, co-written with Simon Rogghe. Zabrisky is currently based in Odesa, Ukraine. From the beginning of the 2022 full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Zabrisky has been reporting on the war in Ukraine for Euromaidan Press, Byline Times and A Community Alliance, and has been published in The Paris Review and various other publications. ----------ARTICLE:https://euromaidanpress.com/2026/03/16/mined-in-starved-out-hunted-from-above-life-in-the-towns-russia-demands-at-the-peace-table/#google_vignettehttps://bylinetimes.com/2025/05/29/un-confirms-russian-drone-attacks-on-kherson-are-crimes-against-humanity-and-war-crimes/FILM:

2026-04-04 | UPDATES #163 | Trump's Vanishing Act, the War That Won't End, and the Vance Question Nobody Wants to Answer. At 11:08 this morning, the White House called a lid. For the non-initiated: that means the President of the United States will not be seen in public for the rest of the day. No statements, no cameras, no departure for Mar-a-Lago. And on a weekend when there is a remarkable amount going on. During a war. With an American airman missing in Iran and fighter jets being shot down.Within hours, social media erupted with speculation that Donald Trump was at Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre. The White House response was a post on X from Communications Director Steven Cheung praising Trump's work ethic over the Easter weekend. A Marine sentry posted outside the Oval Office would suggest that Trump was in the office, but this has not prevented fevered media speculation from blowing up. Speculation that forced Donald Trump's spokesman to deny the US President's death and hospitalisation rumours. ----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------A REQUEST FOR HELP!I'm heading back to Kyiv next month, to film, do research and conduct interviews. The logistics and need for equipment and clothing are a little higher than for my previous trips. It will be cold, and may be dark also. If you can, please assist to ensure I can make this trip a success. My commitment to the audience of the channel, will be to bring back compelling interviews conducted in Ukraine, and to use the experience to improve the quality of the channel, it's insights and impact. Let Ukraine and democracy prevail! https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrashttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformationNONE OF THIS CAN HAPPEN WITHOUT YOU!So what's next? We're going to Kyiv in April 2026 to film on the ground, and will record interviews with some huge guests. We'll be creating opportunities for new interviews, and to connect you with the reality of a European city under escalating winter attack, from an imperialist, genocidal power. PLEASE HELP ME ME TO GROW SILICON CURTAINWe are planning our events for 2026, and to do more and have a greater impact. After achieving more than 12 events in 2025, we will aim to double that! 24 events and interviews on the ground in Ukraine, to push back against weaponized information, toxic propaganda and corrosive disinformation. Please help us make it happen!----------SOURCES: The Mirror US — "White House denies Trump is in the hospital as new health rumors explode," April 4, 2026.AOL — "White House denies Trump is in the hospital," April 4, 2026.The Deep Dive — "Trump Sparks Health Speculation as White House Calls Lid Amid Iran Conflict," April 4, 2026.IBTimes UK — "Trump Trends Online After Unconfirmed Reports Place Him at Walter Reed," April 4, 2026.Inkl — "Is Trump at Walter Reed? Facts from the Official Announcement," April 4, 2026.Türkiye Today — "Trump allegedly hospitalized at Walter Reed as White House calls lid," April 4, 2026.Irish Star — "Trump health rumors explode as White House denies Walter Reed visit," April 4, 2026.CBS News — "Trump diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency," July 17, 2025.ABC News — "Trump diagnosed with 'chronic venous insufficiency,'" July 18, 2025. https://abcnews.com/Politics/trump-vascular-testing-leg-swelling-white-house/story?id=123839307----------

Col. (Ret.) Vitalii Ostapchuk is the Co-Founder and Director of Memory Way, a Ukrainian non-profit initiative dedicated to preserving memory, dignity, and historical truth through meaningful action in Ukraine and internationally.Michael Henshaw is the Founder and President of the Asymmetric MIA Accounting Group – AMAG, Inc. He is a combat veteran and senior executive with more than 25 years of experience in military service, government leadership, and international operations.Marc Mazerolle is in pursuit of answers regarding the death of his son, Patrick Mazerolle, who died on the front lines in September 2025 at the age of 24. Mr. Mazerolle's efforts to complete official recognition procedures, navigate international administrative processes, and raise the necessary funds to repatriate his son's remains are covered in this interview. The family has mobilized community support, raising over $50,000 to cover legal and logistical costs.----------LINKS:Memory Way: https://www.memoryway.org.ua/leadership/How you can help: https://www.memoryway.org.ua/how-you-can-help/Donations: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/help-mia-families-find-closure-fund-amag-worldwide-recoveries----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND:Car4Ukrainehttps://car4ukraine.com/en-US/campaignsDzyga's Pawhttps://dzygaspaw.com/projectsSuperhumans - Hospital for war traumashttps://superhumans.com/en/UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukrainehttps://unbroken.org.ua/Come Back Alivehttps://savelife.in.ua/en/Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchenhttps://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraineUNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyyhttps://u24.gov.ua/Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundationhttps://prytulafoundation.orgNGO “Herojam Slava”https://heroiamslava.org/----------PLATFORMS:Substack: https://substack.com/@siliconcurtainTwitter: https://twitter.com/CurtainSiliconLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finkjonathan/Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4thRZj6NO7y93zG11JMtqm----------

2026-04-04 | UPDATES #162 | Russia recorded almost no territorial gains in March. With just 23 SQ km approximately taken in March and losses elsewhere offsetting that advance. Russia's rate of advance has collapsed compared with earlier months. (The Guardian)The fighting has not gone quiet. The war is not over. Moscow has not renounced its maximalist gains, not one bit. The big change is that their advance to achieve those aims has slowed already from a snail's pace to stall completely. The front is still burning across more than 1,200 kilometres. Russian missiles and drones are still hammering Ukrainian cities in what Zelensky has called an “Easter escalation.” Men are still dying every hour from Pokrovsk to Huliaipole. But something important has shifted. The central fact, the one that cuts through all the noise, is this: after more than two years of grinding, costly, attritional offensives, Russia's land campaign in Ukraine appears to have stalled. (Reuters) Does it have the techniques and resources to trigger movement again? ----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------A REQUEST FOR HELP!I'm heading back to Kyiv next month, to film, do research and conduct interviews. The logistics and need for equipment and clothing are a little higher than for my previous trips. It will be cold, and may be dark also. If you can, please assist to ensure I can make this trip a success. My commitment to the audience of the channel, will be to bring back compelling interviews conducted in Ukraine, and to use the experience to improve the quality of the channel, it's insights and impact. Let Ukraine and democracy prevail! https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrashttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformationNONE OF THIS CAN HAPPEN WITHOUT YOU!So what's next? We're going to Kyiv in April 2026 to film on the ground, and will record interviews with some huge guests. We'll be creating opportunities for new interviews, and to connect you with the reality of a European city under escalating winter attack, from an imperialist, genocidal power. PLEASE HELP ME ME TO GROW SILICON CURTAINWe are planning our events for 2026, and to do more and have a greater impact. After achieving more than 12 events in 2025, we will aim to double that! 24 events and interviews on the ground in Ukraine, to push back against weaponized information, toxic propaganda and corrosive disinformation. Please help us make it happen!----------SOURCES: Reuters, April 3, 2026 — Zelensky says the frontline situation is the best for Ukraine in 10 months. Reuters, April 3, 2026 — Zelensky denounces an “Easter escalation” as Russia intensifies daytime strikes. Reuters, April 1, 2026 — Russia claims full control of Luhansk; Ukraine disputes it. Associated Press, April 1, 2026 — Kyiv rejects Moscow's Luhansk claim; AP notes ISW sees Ukrainian tactics disrupting Russian advances. The Guardian / AFP, April 4, 2026 — Russian army records almost no territorial gains in March; January, February and March comparative figures; Starlink/Telegram factor. The Kyiv Independent, April 3–4, 2026 — Zelensky says Russian losses in March topped 35,000; General Staff tally reaches 1,302,370 on April 4. Kyiv Post, April 2, 2026 — Report that Ukrainian forces recaptured more ground in March than they lost; Syrskyi says 480 sq km liberated since late January. Euromaidan Press, April 1–2, 2026 — Russian advance slowing; Kovalenko estimate of 31,960 Russian losses for 155 sq km in March, or 206 troops per sq km. Institute for the Study of War correction, April 3–4, 2026 — March 2026 gains figure corrected to 5.46 sq km after adding Lyptsi-area occupied ground. ----------

2026-04-03 | UPDATES #161 | Today in Russia, the digital money stopped moving. On Friday morning, customers of Sberbank — Russia's biggest bank — began reporting failures in payments, transfers, app access, QR-code transactions, and even ATM withdrawals. Other major lenders, including VTB and T-Bank, were also hit by outage reports. Shops and petrol stations switched to cash-only. Moscow metro turnstiles opened for free because payment systems failed. Even a zoo in Belgorod told visitors to bring cash. In a metropolitan area of roughly 22 million people, that is not a glitch. That is a stress test of the everyday state.The official line was narrow and evasive. Russia's National Payment Card System — the NSPK, the backbone behind the fast-payments network — said there had been a “technical failure at one of the banks” and insisted people's funds were safe. Sberbank later said the problem had been resolved, without saying what caused it. At the time of reporting, there was no public proof of a cyberattack, and no official evidence of a systemic bank run or immediate insolvency event. What we do have is a government and banking system telling Russians, once again, not to panic while the digital plumbing collapses in public.----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------A REQUEST FOR HELP!I'm heading back to Kyiv next month, to film, do research and conduct interviews. The logistics and need for equipment and clothing are a little higher than for my previous trips. It will be cold, and may be dark also. If you can, please assist to ensure I can make this trip a success. My commitment to the audience of the channel, will be to bring back compelling interviews conducted in Ukraine, and to use the experience to improve the quality of the channel, it's insights and impact. Let Ukraine and democracy prevail! https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrashttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformationNONE OF THIS CAN HAPPEN WITHOUT YOU!So what's next? We're going to Kyiv in April 2026 to film on the ground, and will record interviews with some huge guests. We'll be creating opportunities for new interviews, and to connect you with the reality of a European city under escalating winter attack, from an imperialist, genocidal power. PLEASE HELP ME ME TO GROW SILICON CURTAINWe are planning our events for 2026, and to do more and have a greater impact. After achieving more than 12 events in 2025, we will aim to double that! 24 events and interviews on the ground in Ukraine, to push back against weaponized information, toxic propaganda and corrosive disinformation. Please help us make it happen!----------SOURCES: Reuters, April 3 — Moscow shoppers and travellers hit by payment system problem. The Moscow Times, April 3 — Mass outage hits Sberbank and other major Russian lenders. The Kyiv Independent, April 3 — Russia's banks face major service outages amid internet crackdown. Reuters, March 31 — Russia goes after VPNs as “great crackdown” gathers pace. AP, March 14 / opened result — Moscow struggles with cellphone internet outages. The Guardian, March 31 — Russia slowly trying to splinter its internet from rest of world, analysts say. Chatham House, March 26 — Moscow internet blackouts: the Kremlin tightens its grip on Russia's digital space. Apple Support, updated April 1 — Billing for Apple subscriptions and digital purchases in Russia. Meduza, April 1 — Russia blocks Apple ID mobile top-ups amid App Store dispute. The Moscow Times, April 1 — Russians lose access to Apple ID mobile payments. ----------

Victor Rud is a board member of the Ukrainian American Bar Association and chairman of its Committee on Foreign Affairs. Rud has more than 35-years of experience as an international attorney. Before Ukrainian independence, he was co-counsel, in the West, for members of the Ukrainian Helsinki Accords Watch Group, and for other dissidents in Ukraine. He was also counsel to the US Public Member to the Helsinki Accords Review Conference in Madrid. He is an honours graduate of Harvard College and Duke Law School. ----------LINKS: https://www.kyivpost.com/authors/242 https://www.linkedin.com/in/victorud/ https://defencereport.com/author/victor-rud/ https://hcnj.clubs.harvard.edu/article.html?aid=315 https://www.publicinternationallawandpolicygroup.org/expert-roundtable-peace-process-ukraine https://uaba.org/page-1825383 ----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND:Car4Ukrainehttps://car4ukraine.com/en-US/campaignsDzyga's Pawhttps://dzygaspaw.com/projectsSuperhumans - Hospital for war traumashttps://superhumans.com/en/UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukrainehttps://unbroken.org.ua/Come Back Alivehttps://savelife.in.ua/en/Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchenhttps://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraineUNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyyhttps://u24.gov.ua/Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundationhttps://prytulafoundation.orgNGO “Herojam Slava”https://heroiamslava.org/----------PLATFORMS:Substack: https://substack.com/@siliconcurtainTwitter: https://twitter.com/CurtainSiliconLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finkjonathan/Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4thRZj6NO7y93zG11JMtqm----------

Silicon Bites Ep312 | 2026-04-03 | Ten oil refineries. Twelve S-300 and S-400 air defence systems. Five strategic factories. Fourteen fuel depots. Three warships. Two naval missile systems. And a single microchip plant that has just halted Iskander missile production for six months. Putin is not a Master Strategist, and his war against Ukraine is not going well. That is the March scorecard. And Ukraine's Defence Ministry has now confirmed it: March 2026 was the most damaging single month of strategic strikes against Russia's military-industrial complex since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022. While the Western media was focused on Trump's NATO threats and the Iran war and Orbán's election campaign, Ukraine was quietly, methodically, and with increasing range and precision, dismantling the infrastructure that Russia needs to keep killing Ukrainians. Factory by factory. Refinery by refinery. Air defence system by system.----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------SOURCES:Euromaidan Press / Ukraine Defence Ministry — "March from hell: Ukraine hits 10 refineries, 12 air defence systems, 5 Russian factories, halting missile chip supply for 6 months" (April 2, 2026)Euromaidan Press — "Ukraine obliterates main workshop at Bryansk microelectronics plant — Iskander missile assembly will hit critical snag" (March 11, 2026) — Kuzan on Iskander production disruption; 6-month halt; grey-market chip assembly problemUkrainska Pravda — "Ukraine's General Staff releases footage of Storm Shadow strike on Bryansk plant" (March 10, 2026) — "Brains and nervous system of modern weapons"; General Staff statement; Zelenskyy confirmationUkrainska Pravda (OSINT) — "OSINT reveals details of Storm Shadow strike on Kremniy EL plant in Bryansk" (March 11, 2026) — CyberBoroshno route tracking; 16:52 detection; 16:59 first impact; 413th Regiment aerial reconnaissanceUnited24 Media — "Ukraine Destroys Kremniy El Microchip Plant Behind Russian Missiles" (March 2026) — Comparison of Storm Shadow vs previous drone strikes; Iskander and Izdeliye-30 supply halted; products list including Pantsir, S-300, S-400, Topol-M, Bulava, KalibrRBC-Ukraine — "Strike on Bryansk plant could halt Iskander chip supply for six months" (March 2026) — Production halted ~6 months; main building + warehouse fire sizes; Flamingo missiles on Votkinsk plant cross-referenceKyiv Post — "Ukraine Uses Storm Shadow to Blast Russian Microelectronics Plant" (March 10, 2026) — Founded 1958; 1,200+ component types; 90%+ defence ministry output; full weapons systems listWashington Post — "Ukraine strikes Russian electronics plant that builds missile components" (March 12, 2026) — Washington Post confirmation of Kyiv claimsThe Moscow Times — "Ukrainian Missiles Strike Major Microchip Factory in Bryansk" (March 10, 2026) — Seven killed confirmed; Kremlin accused Britain; Bogomaz casualty statement; Bryansk mourning day----------

2026-04-02 | UPDATES #160 | Now, the follow-on to Hedgehog — the story that Euromaidan Press broke on March 31st, 2026, in a piece titled exactly what it says: "Ukraine fired its NATO trainers. The alliance is running out of time to learn why."Ukraine has been scaling back the training of its own forces abroad. Basic training will now run in just three EU countries with support from four NATO states — down from the 18 EU member states that hosted Ukrainian brigade-level training of all types through late 2025. Kyiv clarified it has not cancelled overseas training outright but is "clustering and optimizing".The real story, as Defence News reported on March 27th, is the reversal of direction. For twelve years, the West trained Ukraine. Now Ukraine is training the West. Germany — the first NATO member to formally invite Ukrainian trainers into its own army's schools — has welcomed a cadre of Ukrainian military advisers to teach drone warfare, counter-UAS tactics, and electronic warfare integration. Lieutenant General Christian Freuding, head of the German army, told Reuters: "The Ukrainian military is currently the only one in the world with frontline experience against Russia."----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------A REQUEST FOR HELP!I'm heading back to Kyiv next month, to film, do research and conduct interviews. The logistics and need for equipment and clothing are a little higher than for my previous trips. It will be cold, and may be dark also. If you can, please assist to ensure I can make this trip a success. My commitment to the audience of the channel, will be to bring back compelling interviews conducted in Ukraine, and to use the experience to improve the quality of the channel, it's insights and impact. Let Ukraine and democracy prevail! https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrashttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformationNONE OF THIS CAN HAPPEN WITHOUT YOU!So what's next? We're going to Kyiv in April 2026 to film on the ground, and will record interviews with some huge guests. We'll be creating opportunities for new interviews, and to connect you with the reality of a European city under escalating winter attack, from an imperialist, genocidal power. PLEASE HELP ME ME TO GROW SILICON CURTAINWe are planning our events for 2026, and to do more and have a greater impact. After achieving more than 12 events in 2025, we will aim to double that! 24 events and interviews on the ground in Ukraine, to push back against weaponized information, toxic propaganda and corrosive disinformation. Please help us make it happen!----------

Silicon Bites Ep311 | 2026-04-02 | Who is the real paper tiger? Ukraine schools NATO on drones while Trump torches the alliance. Several stories around NATO's future have converged this week – but here are two of the most important. Ukraine fired its NATO trainers. A mystified alliance is running out of time to learn why, suggests Hans Petter Midttun in an article published by Euromaidan Press. Ukraine's General Staff has decided to scale back overseas training for its troops and—despite the constant threat of Russian missile and drone strikes — move it to Ukraine. According to Militarnyi, General Staff's Deputy Chief for Doctrine and Training Yevhen Mezhevikin cited logistical concerns and a lack of relevant combat experience among Western instructors. "They are disconnected from our realities, from the current combat operations," he said.----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------SOURCES:Euromaidan Press — "Ukraine fired its NATO trainers. The alliance is running out of time to learn why." (March 31, 2026) — Primary analysis by Hans Petter Midttun; Russia's 80,000-strong Unmanned Systems Forces; 8,900 FPV drones per day; 2030 projection of 210,000Euromaidan Press — "'We are f—': 10 Ukrainians with drones wipe out two NATO battalions in war game" (February 13, 2026) — Delta system; 2.2-second detection; Hedgehog 2025 exercise detailsWall Street Journal — "NATO exercise reveals alliance can't survive Ukraine-style drone warfare" — Jillian Kay Melchior (February 12, 2026) — Primary source reporting; firsthand accounts from Hedgehog exercise participantsUnited24 Media — "NATO Drills Reveal Drone Warfare Could Eliminate Two Battalions in a Day" (February 13, 2026) — Delta system; Petraeus LinkedIn comments; Estonian Defence League coordinationUnited24 Media — "How 10 Ukrainian Drone Operators Crushed a NATO Offensive in Estonia" (February 15, 2026) — 412th Nemesis Brigade and 427th Rarog Brigade details; Vector reconnaissance systemDefence News — "Role reversal: Ukraine moves training home and exports the lessons abroad" (March 27, 2026) — Germany as first NATO member to invite Ukrainian trainers; Lt. Gen. Freuding quote; DELTA in REPMUS 2025; down from 18 to 3 EU training nations; Vandier quote on Russia adapting19FortyFive — "A NATO Wargame in Estonia Let Ukrainian Drone Experts Play the Bad Guy and the Results Were Brutal" (February 17, 2026) — Petraeus on lessons only being learned through systemic reform; combined arms contextDroneXL — "NATO's Hedgehog exercise exposed a brutal truth" (February 13, 2026) — Cross-reference on exercise details; US troops absent from Hedgehog 2025----------SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon Curtainhttps://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur events of the first half of the year in Lviv, Kyiv and Odesa were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run a minimum of 12 events in 2025, and potentially many more. Any support you can provide for the fundraising campaign would be gratefully appreciated. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasWe need to scale up our support for Ukraine, and these events are designed to have a major impact. Your support in making it happen is greatly appreciated. All events will be recorded professionally and published for free on the Silicon Curtain channel. Where possible, we will also live-stream events.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------

Cormac Smith has worked in Public Relations and Corporate Communications for over three decades. In 2016 he traveled to Ukraine to take up a special appointment as the ‘Strategic Communication Advisor' to Pavlo Klimkin, then the Foreign Minister of Ukraine. He was attached to the British Embassy in Kyiv but was embedded in Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the first foreigner to hold such a position. While in Kyiv, he also advised and provided training for five other government ministries and worked directly with three other cabinet ministers: Health, Education and the Deputy Prime Minister. ----------LINKS:https://defencebrink.uk/https://x.com/CormacS63https://x.com/philipingmbe----------ACTIVE CAMPAIGN:We are raising funds for 5 of 15 Vampire DronesSilicon Curtain for Kupiansk Vampires. Dzyga's Paw, together with Jonathan Fink, is joining forces to raise $40,000 to provide the Khartiia Brigade with Vampire Drones.https://dzygaspaw.com/silicon-curtain-for-kupiansk-vampiresThese heavy bombers are designed to destroy manpower and equipment, as well as for remote mining. The Vampire UAV, manufactured by Skyfall, has proven itself to be one of the most effective weapons in the Kupiansk direction. Skyfall is one of Ukraine's largest defense tech companies, producing Vampire bomber drones, various modifications of Shrike FPV drones, P1-SUN, Shahed drone interceptors, communication systems, and components.----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND:Car4Ukrainehttps://car4ukraine.com/en-US/campaignsDzyga's Pawhttps://dzygaspaw.com/projectsSuperhumans - Hospital for war traumashttps://superhumans.com/en/UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukrainehttps://unbroken.org.ua/Come Back Alivehttps://savelife.in.ua/en/Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchenhttps://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraineUNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyyhttps://u24.gov.ua/Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundationhttps://prytulafoundation.orgNGO “Herojam Slava”https://heroiamslava.org/----------PLATFORMS:Substack: https://substack.com/@siliconcurtainTwitter: https://twitter.com/CurtainSiliconLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finkjonathan/Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4thRZj6NO7y93zG11JMtqm----------

2026-04-01 | UPDATES #159 | Girkin's letter from prison on the Telegram Kill Switch, Shoigu Slipping, and the Iron Curtain Descending. Based on Igor Girkin's prison letter (March 22, 2026) and other reporting. Igor Girkin (Strelkov) was once untouchable — a former FSB colonel, a war criminal by any honest accounting, the man who by his own admission pulled the trigger that started the Donbas war in 2014, the commander sentenced in absentia to life imprisonment by a Dutch court for his role in shooting down Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 and killing all 298 people aboard. A man who called Putin a "lowlife" and a "cowardly bum" on his Telegram channel — and was arrested the following day. He is now in a penal colony in the Kirov region of Russia. Strelkov — (the Shooter) is currently serving four years in a Russian penal colony on charges of inciting extremism. He is one of the most hawkish, most committed Russian nationalists in the country's entire political ecosystem. He is not a democrat, not a liberal, not a friend of Ukraine in any sense of that word.----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------A REQUEST FOR HELP!I'm heading back to Kyiv next month, to film, do research and conduct interviews. The logistics and need for equipment and clothing are a little higher than for my previous trips. It will be cold, and may be dark also. If you can, please assist to ensure I can make this trip a success. My commitment to the audience of the channel, will be to bring back compelling interviews conducted in Ukraine, and to use the experience to improve the quality of the channel, it's insights and impact. Let Ukraine and democracy prevail! https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrashttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformationNONE OF THIS CAN HAPPEN WITHOUT YOU!So what's next? We're going to Kyiv in April 2026 to film on the ground, and will record interviews with some huge guests. We'll be creating opportunities for new interviews, and to connect you with the reality of a European city under escalating winter attack, from an imperialist, genocidal power. PLEASE HELP ME ME TO GROW SILICON CURTAINWe are planning our events for 2026, and to do more and have a greater impact. After achieving more than 12 events in 2025, we will aim to double that! 24 events and interviews on the ground in Ukraine, to push back against weaponized information, toxic propaganda and corrosive disinformation. Please help us make it happen!----------

Silicon Bites Ep310 | 2026-04-01 | April the 1st I thought. This is a very well-produced joke – so close to our worst fears of the dark dystopian hole down which the U.S. has fallen, and into which it's dragging the world. But no, this does not appear to be an April Fool's prank. It appears to be a real political vanity project, promoted by Donald Trump and Eric Trump, attached to a real donation site, tied to a real Miami site already set aside for the future library. But it is also drenched in unreality, because the first public “reveal” was an AI-generated fantasy reel: an uncanny value of dictator chic, drenched in gold, gold everywhere, and on everything. Trump's name stamped on the skyline, a presidential jet in the lobby, White House replicas inside, and a giant gold statue of Trump raised above the mass of the faithful like some imperial mascot of post-modern, ironic American kitsch. Reuters confirmed parts of the video were generated with Google AI tools, while AP, the Washington Post, Sky, and NPR all independently described the same core imagery and the same link to the official fundraising site.----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------SOURCES:Reuters, March 31, 2026 — Trump library renderings, AI-generated video, Trump's comments on hotel plans.Associated Press, March 30–31, 2026 — airport renaming, library reveal, Miami site details.NPR/KOSU, updated April 1, 2026 — what the project is, Trump's “I don't believe in building libraries or museums” quote, NARA context, site transfer, funding questions. Washington Post, March 30, 2026 — scale of the tower, two gold statues, donation site, Eric Trump post.The Guardian, March 31, 2026 — ridicule, authoritarian comparisons, Newsom office reaction, Rutger Bregman comment. Sky News, March 31, 2026 — visual details of the renderings and AI-generated presentation. Reuters, March 31, 2026 — federal judge halts Trump White House ballroom project pending congressional approval. Associated Press, March 31, 2026 — judge says Trump is steward, not owner, in ballroom ruling. ----------SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon Curtainhttps://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur events of the first half of the year in Lviv, Kyiv and Odesa were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run a minimum of 12 events in 2025, and potentially many more. Any support you can provide for the fundraising campaign would be gratefully appreciated. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasWe need to scale up our support for Ukraine, and these events are designed to have a major impact. Your support in making it happen is greatly appreciated. All events will be recorded professionally and published for free on the Silicon Curtain channel. Where possible, we will also live-stream events.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------

2026-03-31 | UPDATES #158 | The Tsar is on edge, spooked even. Putin's post-Iran paranoia and the traffic cameras that changed everything. Based on Julia Ioffe's Puck News analysis (March 24, 2026) and other reporting. This is an interesting question. What does it take to terrify Vladimir Putin? Fear of death alone seems not to be enough, but fear of losing power, of humiliation is even worse. The man who has spent twenty-six years turning Russia into a personal fortress. The man who operates from three identical, interchangeable offices — at Novo-Ogaryovo, at Valdai, at Sochi — each decorated to the millimetre so that even his closest aides cannot determine which city he's in on any given day. The man who has had his Black Sea palace partially demolished and rebuilt, who has 12 Pantsir-S1 air defence systems stationed around his Valdai compound, who has Kremlin-adjacent Telegram channels claiming his FSB is on permanent alert against biochemical attacks in his bedsheets. What does it take to terrify that man? Stunning recent reporting suggests that a traffic camera in Tehran has particularly triggered him.----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------A REQUEST FOR HELP!I'm heading back to Kyiv next month, to film, do research and conduct interviews. The logistics and need for equipment and clothing are a little higher than for my previous trips. It will be cold, and may be dark also. If you can, please assist to ensure I can make this trip a success. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrashttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformationNONE OF THIS CAN HAPPEN WITHOUT YOU!So what's next? We're going to Kyiv in April 2026 to film on the ground, and will record interviews with some huge guests. We'll be creating opportunities for new interviews, and to connect you with the reality of a European city under escalating winter attack, from an imperialist, genocidal power. PLEASE HELP ME ME TO GROW SILICON CURTAINWe are planning our events for 2026, and to do more and have a greater impact. After achieving more than 12 events in 2025, we will aim to double that! 24 events and interviews on the ground in Ukraine, to push back against weaponized information, toxic propaganda and corrosive disinformation. Please help us make it happen!----------SOURCES: Julia Ioffe / Puck News — "Putin's Post-Iran Paranoia" (March 24, 2026)https://puck.news/putins-post-iran-paranoia/Puck News teaser / follow-up — "The Russian president has curtailed his schedule, and Moscow has virtually no cell service. The official explanation is about Ukrainian drones, but Putin is clearly spooked." (March 29, 2026)https://puck.news/the-secret-iran-intel-that-terrified-dems/Newsweek — "Putin assassination fears could explain internet shutdown" (March 2026)Euromaidan Press — "Putin watched Khamenei get killed. Then disappeared from public view for nine days. Then shut down Moscow's internet." (March 25, 2026)RBC-Ukraine — "Putin no longer seen at Kremlin following Khamenei's elimination, reports say" (March 2026)United24 Media — "Putin Reportedly Avoids Kremlin After Reports of Iranian Leaders Tracked by Cameras" (March 2026)Times of Israel — "Report: Israel hacked Tehran traffic cameras to track Khamenei ahead of assassination" (March 3, 2026)United24 Media — "Israel and CIA Conduct Precision Strike on Khamenei Using Tehran Surveillance Systems" (March 3, 2026)Kyiv Post — "Putin's Sochi Residence Gets Mega Security Zone Amid Drone Fears" (March 2026)United24 Media — "Russia Drafts Massive Protected Zone Around Putin's Sochi Residence" (March 13, 2026)----------

Caolan Robertson is a journalist, film maker, political writer and social commentator. He is a director at Byline TV and now lives in "beautiful Ukraine".----------LINKS:https://www.youtube.com/@CaolanReports @CaolanReports Caolan's interview with the Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYa7H1EmpCMThe Mad Max City In Ukraine Where 300 Drones Attack Every Day - DOCUMENTARY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InGah1DF2Cchttps://byline.tv/putindocumentary/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXU8QU0k3Mk----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND:Car4Ukrainehttps://car4ukraine.com/en-US/campaignsDzyga's Pawhttps://dzygaspaw.com/projectsSuperhumans - Hospital for war traumashttps://superhumans.com/en/UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukrainehttps://unbroken.org.ua/Come Back Alivehttps://savelife.in.ua/en/Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchenhttps://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraineUNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyyhttps://u24.gov.ua/Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundationhttps://prytulafoundation.orgNGO “Herojam Slava”https://heroiamslava.org/----------PLATFORMS:Substack: https://substack.com/@siliconcurtainTwitter: https://twitter.com/CurtainSiliconLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finkjonathan/Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4thRZj6NO7y93zG11JMtqm----------

Mark Galeotti is an author and academic – by training an historian – but in practice an interdisciplinary scholar with interests encompassing politics, criminology, security studies, international relations, and anthropology. He is a specialist in transnational and organized crime, security affairs, Russian Politics, Russian History, Intelligence and Security. Mark has a PhD in Government from LSE and has worked as a Senior Lecturer and Head of Department of History at Keele University. He is a Principal Director at Mayak Intelligence, and is an Honorary Professor, SSEES at UCL. He is a Senior Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute. He has also been Professor of Global Affairs at New York University from 2009 to 2016.----------BOOKS:Forged in War: A military history of Russia from its beginnings to today (2026)Homo Criminalis: How crime organises the world (2025)Downfall: Prigozhin, Putin, and the new fight for the future of Russia by Mark Galeotti and Anna Arutunyan (2024)Mark Galeotti: Putin's Wars: From Chechnya to Ukraine (2022)Mark Galeotti: The Weaponisation of Everything: A Field Guide to the New Way of War (2022)Mark Galeotti: A Short History of Russia: From the Pagans to Putin (2021)Mark Galeotti: Storm-333: KGB and Spetsnaz seize Kabul, Soviet-Afghan War 1979 (2021)Mark Galeotti: We Need to Talk About Putin: How the West gets him wrong (2019)Mark Galeotti: Russian Political War: Moving Beyond the Hybrid (2019)Mark Galeotti: The Vory: Russia's Super Mafia (2018)----------LINKS:https://inmoscowsshadows.wordpress.com/https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/in-moscows-shadows/id1510124746https://twitter.com/MarkGaleottihttps://www.rusi.org/people/galeottihttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Galeotti----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND:Save Ukrainehttps://www.saveukraineua.org/Superhumans - Hospital for war traumashttps://superhumans.com/en/UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukrainehttps://unbroken.org.ua/Come Back Alivehttps://savelife.in.ua/en/Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchenhttps://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraineUNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyyhttps://u24.gov.ua/Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundationhttps://prytulafoundation.orgNGO “Herojam Slava”https://heroiamslava.org/kharpp - Reconstruction project supporting communities in Kharkiv and Przemyślhttps://kharpp.com/NOR DOG Animal Rescuehttps://www.nor-dog.org/home/----------PLATFORMS:Twitter: https://twitter.com/CurtainSiliconInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/siliconcurtain/Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4thRZj6NO7y93zG11JMtqmLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finkjonathan/Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------DESCRIPTION: Mark Galeotti on Putin's 19th‑Century Power Politics, Russia's Internet Crackdown, and the Regime's Growing BrittlenessThe host interviews historian and Russia specialist Mark Galeotti about how Putin views power primarily as coercion and great‑power privilege, and how the Ukraine war is burning through Russia's resources, modernity, legitimacy, and technological dynamism, echoing a “late Ivan the Terrible” decline. They discuss Russia's accelerating digital repression—mobile internet disruptions, VPN targeting, blocked app payments—and argue it is driven largely by competing security agencies rather than a single coherent “regime,” creating internal struggle with technocrats and business elites worried about economic and political costs. ----------

Livestream with Jonathan MS Pearce. Fundraising for equipment through Dzyga's Paw, and trucks for Car4Ukraine, and to support Silicon Curtain trips to Ukraine, to record interviews on the ground.Donate to help out:https://dzygaspaw.com/projectshttps://car4ukraine.com/en-US/campaigns----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------A REQUEST FOR HELP!I'm heading back to Kyiv this week, to film, do research and conduct interviews. The logistics and need for equipment and clothing are a little higher than for my previous trips. It will be cold, and may be dark also. If you can, please assist to ensure I can make this trip a success. My commitment to the audience of the channel, will be to bring back compelling interviews conducted in Ukraine, and to use the experience to improve the quality of the channel, it's insights and impact. Let Ukraine and democracy prevail! https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrashttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformationNONE OF THIS CAN HAPPEN WITHOUT YOU!So what's next? We're going to Kyiv in January 2026 to film on the ground, and will record interviews with some huge guests. We'll be creating opportunities for new interviews, and to connect you with the reality of a European city under escalating winter attack, from an imperialist, genocidal power. PLEASE HELP ME ME TO GROW SILICON CURTAINWe are planning our events for 2026, and to do more and have a greater impact. After achieving more than 12 events in 2025, we will aim to double that! 24 events and interviews on the ground in Ukraine, to push back against weaponized information, toxic propaganda and corrosive disinformation. Please help us make it happen!----------TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND:Save Ukrainehttps://www.saveukraineua.org/Superhumans - Hospital for war traumashttps://superhumans.com/en/UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukrainehttps://unbroken.org.ua/Come Back Alivehttps://savelife.in.ua/en/Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchenhttps://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraineUNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyyhttps://u24.gov.ua/Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundationhttps://prytulafoundation.orgNGO “Herojam Slava”https://heroiamslava.org/kharpp - Reconstruction project supporting communities in Kharkiv and Przemyslhttps://kharpp.com/NOR DOG Animal Rescuehttps://www.nor-dog.org/home/-----------

Silicon Bites Ep309 | 2026-03-30 | The alarm sounds from inside the community of regime loyalists – Russia's own z-patriots warn of a new 1917 revolution. This episode is based on Maxim Kalashnikov's Telegram warnings, February–March 2026. In February 1917, the Russian Empire collapsed from within — under the weight of a war that had gone on too long, demanded too much sacrifice, and offered no benefits in return – an economy that had cracked under the strain, and soldiers at the front who had simply stopped believing in the men who had sent them there. Women lined up for bread in Petrograd. Factory workers walked off their jobs. Soldiers — sent to fire on the crowds — refused. And in a matter of days, three centuries of Romanov rule was over.One hundred and nine years later, a man who has spent his career cheer-leading for Vladimir Putin, for the war in Ukraine, for Russian nationalism and imperial ambition, is invoking that exact moment. And he's not invoking it as a threat to the West. He's invoking it as a warning to Moscow and specifically, to Valdimir Putin. His name is Maxim Kalashnikov. And what he's saying from inside Russia's pro-war Z-blogger ecosystem should be required reading — and required listening — for everyone who wants to understand where this war is going.----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------SOURCES:@visionergeo / X (Twitter) — "If a Storm Lies Ahead..." — Kalashnikov Telegram post translated and published (2026)@visionergeo / X (Twitter) — Shakhty mine soldiers: "if Ukraine is not defeated by December, a wave will come from the front" — July 2025 Telegram postCharter'97 — "Z-Propagandist: US And Ukraine Have Trapped The Kremlin In A Trap" — February 22, 2026Charter'97 — "The Kremlin Is Preparing For A Social Explosion" — March 6, 2026Window on Eurasia — "Russia's Fate Being 'Decided by the Economy and Not with the Seizure of Some Village in Ukraine,' Kalashnikov Says" — February 2026@NatalkaKyiv / X (Twitter) — Kalashnikov February 17, 2026 post: "if the economy collapses, no shutdown of Telegram or communications will help. Both the 'elite' and the security structures will begin to fall apart."----------SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon Curtainhttps://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur events of the first half of the year in Lviv, Kyiv and Odesa were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run a minimum of 12 events in 2025, and potentially many more. Any support you can provide for the fundraising campaign would be gratefully appreciated. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasWe need to scale up our support for Ukraine, and these events are designed to have a major impact. Your support in making it happen is greatly appreciated. All events will be recorded professionally and published for free on the Silicon Curtain channel. Where possible, we will also live-stream events.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------

David DeBatto is host of the ‘No Delusion Zone' podcast @NoDelusionZone is a retired U.S. Army Counterintelligence Special Agent, a geopolitical analyst, writer, and podcaster. David is an Iraq war veteran who served as Team Leader of a Tactical Human Intelligence Team (THT) in operations within Iraq and is also a former police officer. David is considered too conservative for the progressive left and too independent minded for the radical right and seeks to challenge political dogma and the naked self-interest of politicians. ----------LINKS:@NoDelusionZone https://www.protectingtherepublic.com/podcasthttps://x.com/ddebattohttps://www.kyivpost.com/authors/743----------Timothy Ash, who has been professional economist for more than 30 years, with two thirds of that in the banking industry. Timothy's specialism is emerging European economics, and he writes and blogs extensively on economic challenges for leading publications such as the Kyiv Post, Atlantic Council, the Financial Times, and the United Business Journal. He is also an Associate Fellow in the Russia and Eurasia programme at Chatham House and has advised various governments on Ukraine-Russia policy and specifically on the impact of sanctions.----------LINKS:https://twitter.com/tasheconhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/timothy-ash-83a87158/https://www.chathamhouse.org/about-us/our-people/timothy-ashhttps://cepa.org/author/timothy-ash/----------This is super important. There are so many Battalions in Ukraine, fighting to defend our freedoms, but lack basics such as vehicles. These are destroyed on a regular basis, and lack of transport is costs lives, and Ukrainian territory. Once again Silicon Curtain has teamed up with Car4Ukraine and a group of wonderful creators to provide much-needed assistance: https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/autumn-harvest-silicon-curtainAutumn Harvest: Silicon Curtain (Goal€22,000)We'll be supporting troops in Pokrovsk, Kharkiv, and other regions where the trucks are needed the most. 93rd Brigade "Kholodnyi Yar", Black Raven Unmanned Systems Battalionhttps://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/autumn-harvest-silicon-curtain----------SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon Curtainhttps://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur events of the first half of the year in Lviv, Kyiv and Odesa were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run a minimum of 12 events in 2025, and potentially many more. Any support you can provide for the fundraising campaign would be gratefully appreciated. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND:Save Ukrainehttps://www.saveukraineua.org/Superhumans - Hospital for war traumashttps://superhumans.com/en/UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukrainehttps://unbroken.org.ua/Come Back Alivehttps://savelife.in.ua/en/Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchenhttps://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraineUNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyyhttps://u24.gov.ua/Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundationhttps://prytulafoundation.orgNGO “Herojam Slava”https://heroiamslava.org/kharpp - Reconstruction project supporting communities in Kharkiv and Przemyślhttps://kharpp.com/NOR DOG Animal Rescuehttps://www.nor-dog.org/home/----------

Elvira Bary is an author, researcher, and creator working at the intersection of storytelling, self-discovery, and political insight. She also runs an insightful YouTube channel on Russian politics, history, and culture, where she explores how Russia's history continues to shape the choices that the country makes today. Elvira writes historical fiction and dark fantasy rooted in Russian history and imagination. Narrative that are being reshaped and challenged in the light of Putin's slide into authoritarianism and the decision to invade Ukraine full-scale in 2022.----------LINKS: https://elvirabary.com/about-elvira/ https://www.youtube.com/@elvirabary https://x.com/elvirabary BOOKS: The Snow Queen's SpringRussian TreasuresThe White Ghosts' EmpireThe Prince of the SovietsThe Girl from the LabyrinthHunter / CommanderHunter / Strategist----------LINKS:https://x.com/MalcolmNancehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malcolm_Nancehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/malcolmnance/https://www.spymuseum.org/host-an-event/spy-speaker-series/malcolm-nance/https://us.macmillan.com/author/malcolmnance----------ACTIVE CAMPAIGN:We are raising funds for 5 of 15 Vampire DronesSilicon Curtain for Kupiansk Vampires. Dzyga's Paw, together with Jonathan Fink, is joining forces to raise $40,000 to provide the Khartiia Brigade with Vampire Drones.https://dzygaspaw.com/silicon-curtain-for-kupiansk-vampiresThese heavy bombers are designed to destroy manpower and equipment, as well as for remote mining. The Vampire UAV, manufactured by Skyfall, has proven itself to be one of the most effective weapons in the Kupiansk direction. Skyfall is one of Ukraine's largest defense tech companies, producing Vampire bomber drones, various modifications of Shrike FPV drones, P1-SUN, Shahed drone interceptors, communication systems, and components.----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------PLATFORMS:Substack: https://substack.com/@siliconcurtainTwitter: https://twitter.com/CurtainSiliconLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finkjonathan/Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4thRZj6NO7y93zG11JMtqm----------

2026-03-28 | UPDATES #156 | VYBORG: Ukraine Just Sank Putin's Arctic Dream a Thousand Kilometres from the Front Line. I used to go there from St Petersburg on weekend trips, to stroll around a city with a European scale and ambience (even though it has degenerated from a vibrant cosmopolitan city to a village mentality, when the Soviets stole it from the Finns). It's odd to see places from one's past descend into battlegrounds, with air raid sirens wailing and explosions detonating. A thousand kilometres from the nearest Ukrainian position. A shipyard on the Baltic Sea, 30 kilometres from the Finnish border. A city that used to be Finnish, that changed hands in wars most people have forgotten. And there, listing to port in the grey water of the harbour, her hull leaning against a neighbouring research vessel — a brand new Russian military icebreaker, built for Putin's FSB, designed to project power across the Arctic, worth an estimated €220 million.The Purga. Project 23550. Russia's state-of-the-art combat icebreaker. Struck by Ukrainian drones on the night of March 24th to 25th. Now keeling over in the port of Vyborg. This is symbolism of the highest order. It's a message to the Kremlin that nowhere is safe. Not your oil ports. Not your shipyards. Not your Arctic ambitions. Ukraine can reach all of it.----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------A REQUEST FOR HELP!I'm heading back to Kyiv next month, to film, do research and conduct interviews. The logistics and need for equipment and clothing are a little higher than for my previous trips. It will be cold, and may be dark also. If you can, please assist to ensure I can make this trip a success. My commitment to the audience of the channel, will be to bring back compelling interviews conducted in Ukraine, and to use the experience to improve the quality of the channel, it's insights and impact. Let Ukraine and democracy prevail! https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrashttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformationNONE OF THIS CAN HAPPEN WITHOUT YOU!So what's next? We're going to Kyiv in April 2026 to film on the ground, and will record interviews with some huge guests. We'll be creating opportunities for new interviews, and to connect you with the reality of a European city under escalating winter attack, from an imperialist, genocidal power. PLEASE HELP ME ME TO GROW SILICON CURTAINWe are planning our events for 2026, and to do more and have a greater impact. After achieving more than 12 events in 2025, we will aim to double that! 24 events and interviews on the ground in Ukraine, to push back against weaponized information, toxic propaganda and corrosive disinformation. Please help us make it happen!----------

Malcolm Nance is a former career US Naval Intelligence officer specializing in counter-terrorism, intelligence and violent extremism. He has been an advisor to the US government's law enforcement, Homeland Security and Intelligence agencies. As an Arabic-speaking special intelligence collections operator, field interrogator he provided top secret anti and counter-terrorism support to national intelligence agencies while on numerous reconnaissance and combat operations in the Balkans, Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa. On April 18, 2022, Nance revealed that he had joined the Ukrainian Foreign Legion in March 2022. In an interview with Michael Harriot of The Guardian, Nance alluded to African-American military aviator Eugene Bullard's service in the French Foreign Legion to his service in Ukraine, hoping to inspire "African Americans and young Americans who have been in the military" and describing the International Legion as "the pantheon of the defense of democracy in the defense of Ukraine".----------BOOKS: The Plot to Betray America: How Team Trump Embraced Our EnemiesImage of Hacking ISIS: How to Destroy the Cyber JihadThe Plot to Hack America: How Putin's Cyberspies and WikiLeaks Tried to StealDefeating ISIS: Who They Are, How They Fight, What They Believe----------LINKS:https://x.com/MalcolmNancehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malcolm_Nancehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/malcolmnance/https://www.spymuseum.org/host-an-event/spy-speaker-series/malcolm-nance/https://us.macmillan.com/author/malcolmnance----------ACTIVE CAMPAIGN:We are raising funds for 5 of 15 Vampire DronesSilicon Curtain for Kupiansk Vampires. Dzyga's Paw, together with Jonathan Fink, is joining forces to raise $40,000 to provide the Khartiia Brigade with Vampire Drones.https://dzygaspaw.com/silicon-curtain-for-kupiansk-vampiresThese heavy bombers are designed to destroy manpower and equipment, as well as for remote mining. The Vampire UAV, manufactured by Skyfall, has proven itself to be one of the most effective weapons in the Kupiansk direction. Skyfall is one of Ukraine's largest defense tech companies, producing Vampire bomber drones, various modifications of Shrike FPV drones, P1-SUN, Shahed drone interceptors, communication systems, and components.----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------PLATFORMS:Substack: https://substack.com/@siliconcurtainTwitter: https://twitter.com/CurtainSiliconLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finkjonathan/Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4thRZj6NO7y93zG11JMtqm----------DESCRIPTION:Malcolm Nance on Trump's Iran War, Market Manipulation Claims, and the New Asymmetric BattlefieldMalcolm Nance, a former US Navy cryptography and intelligence officer and national security commentator, joins Silicon Curtain to argue that Trump's Iran war reflects personal pathology more than coherent domestic or foreign policy, describing an “imperial presidency” mindset and warning of dangerous, grift-driven decision-making. Nance alleges war-related announcements are timed to minimize market impact and enable profiteering, citing claims of stock moves tied to Trump's circle, and says US leadership is unprepared for modern asymmetric warfare where cheap drones can overwhelm expensive defenses and cause massive economic damage. The discussion covers alleged US alignment with Moscow's interests, hostility to Ukraine, and shifting Middle East security dynamics as Gulf states seek Ukrainian drone-defense expertise. Nance points to troop and logistics movements—special operations airlift, airborne deployments, parachute loads, and runway repair units—as indicators of potential escalatory operations involving Gulf islands or Iranian facilities, warning of catastrophic consequences.----------

2026-03-25 | UPDATES #154 | The economy is where the detail gets most technically damning. And here, Naki provides something Zygar's op-ed gestures at but doesn't fully document: the forensic evidence from inside the Russian financial system itself. In February 2026, the Centre for Macroeconomic Analysis and Short-Term Forecasting — known by its Russian acronym CMAKP — formally registered what it called a latent banking crisis. This is not an opposition think-tank. As Naki stresses: "This is an organisation maximally close to the authorities. The brother of Defence Minister Belousov works there. It publishes real economic data." And by its own formal criteria, the share of problem assets in the Russian banking system exceeded 10 percent. A crisis — described as "latent" because the state is actively concealing it. Banks are restructuring hopeless loans rather than writing them off. State banks are not being allowed to go bankrupt. The statistics are being massaged.----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------A REQUEST FOR HELP!I'm heading back to Kyiv next month, to film, do research and conduct interviews. The logistics and need for equipment and clothing are a little higher than for my previous trips. It will be cold, and may be dark also. If you can, please assist to ensure I can make this trip a success. My commitment to the audience of the channel, will be to bring back compelling interviews conducted in Ukraine, and to use the experience to improve the quality of the channel, it's insights and impact. Let Ukraine and democracy prevail! https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrashttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformationNONE OF THIS CAN HAPPEN WITHOUT YOU!So what's next? We're going to Kyiv in April 2026 to film on the ground, and will record interviews with some huge guests. We'll be creating opportunities for new interviews, and to connect you with the reality of a European city under escalating winter attack, from an imperialist, genocidal power. PLEASE HELP ME ME TO GROW SILICON CURTAINWe are planning our events for 2026, and to do more and have a greater impact. After achieving more than 12 events in 2025, we will aim to double that! 24 events and interviews on the ground in Ukraine, to push back against weaponized information, toxic propaganda and corrosive disinformation. Please help us make it happen!----------SOURCES: Mikhail Zygar / New York Times — "For Putin, the War in Iran Changed Everything" (March 25, 2026)Mikhail Zygar / The Last Pioneer (Substack) — "When the Internet Disappears" (March 19, 2026)Mykhailo Naki — "PUTIN IS LOSING — AND HE KNOWS IT. The Kremlin for the First Time Thought About an Exit from the War" (YouTube, March 25, 2026)Centre for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) — "Iran War Won't Save Putin's Crumbling Economy" (March 3, 2026)Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI) — "From Tehran to Donbas: What the Iran War Means for Russia and Ukraine" (March 2026)Mikhail Khodorkovsky / Ukraine Today — "The Iran War Is Good for Putin — But Not Good Enough" (March 20, 2026)Russia Matters (Harvard Kennedy School) — "Russia Analytical Report, March 9–16, 2026"Fortune — "Putin is the real winner in Trump's Iran war as it puts Russian oil back on the map" (March 23, 2026)----------

2026-03-25 | UPDATES #153 | How Trump's Iran War Gave Putin a Reprieve He Doesn't Deserve. Based on Mikhail Zygar's New York Times Op-Ed (March 25, 2026) and Mykhailo Naki's Video Analysis. Plastering over the cracks. It is the end of January 2026. Russia is selling oil to India at twenty-two dollars a barrel. Twenty-two dollars. About a third of the market price. The country that funds its wars with oil money is offloading its most valuable export for the price of scrap metal — because nobody else will take it.At the same moment, inside the Kremlin, something unprecedented is stirring. After four years of dismissing every economic warning, every bankruptcy protection, every desperate memo from the Finance Ministry — Vladimir Putin is paying attention. According to those close to him, he is allegedly beginning to think, seriously and concretely, about ending the war. Not through the theatre of negotiations that has been running on a loop since early 2025, and without serious intent behind them. A real exit. With real signals. Including two moves that, if taken, would have sent shockwaves through Moscow's political system.----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------A REQUEST FOR HELP!I'm heading back to Kyiv next month, to film, do research and conduct interviews. The logistics and need for equipment and clothing are a little higher than for my previous trips. It will be cold, and may be dark also. If you can, please assist to ensure I can make this trip a success. My commitment to the audience of the channel, will be to bring back compelling interviews conducted in Ukraine, and to use the experience to improve the quality of the channel, it's insights and impact. Let Ukraine and democracy prevail! https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrashttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformationNONE OF THIS CAN HAPPEN WITHOUT YOU!So what's next? We're going to Kyiv in April 2026 to film on the ground, and will record interviews with some huge guests. We'll be creating opportunities for new interviews, and to connect you with the reality of a European city under escalating winter attack, from an imperialist, genocidal power. PLEASE HELP ME ME TO GROW SILICON CURTAINWe are planning our events for 2026, and to do more and have a greater impact. After achieving more than 12 events in 2025, we will aim to double that! 24 events and interviews on the ground in Ukraine, to push back against weaponized information, toxic propaganda and corrosive disinformation. Please help us make it happen!----------SOURCES: Mikhail Zygar / New York Times — "For Putin, the War in Iran Changed Everything" (March 25, 2026)Mikhail Zygar / The Last Pioneer (Substack) — "When the Internet Disappears" (March 19, 2026)Mykhailo Naki — "PUTIN IS LOSING — AND HE KNOWS IT. The Kremlin for the First Time Thought About an Exit from the War" (YouTube, March 25, 2026)Centre for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) — "Iran War Won't Save Putin's Crumbling Economy" (March 3, 2026)Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI) — "From Tehran to Donbas: What the Iran War Means for Russia and Ukraine" (March 2026)Mikhail Khodorkovsky / Ukraine Today — "The Iran War Is Good for Putin — But Not Good Enough" (March 20, 2026)Russia Matters (Harvard Kennedy School) — "Russia Analytical Report, March 9–16, 2026"Fortune — "Putin is the real winner in Trump's Iran war as it puts Russian oil back on the map" (March 23, 2026)----------

Silicon Bites Ep307 | 2026-03-25 | Russia's record attack on Ukraine — and the miracle defence that's been overlooked.Nine hundred and forty-eight drones. In twenty-four hours. Between the evening of March 23rd and the evening of March 24th, Russia launched the largest aerial assault of the entire war against Ukraine — nearly a thousand drones and missiles fired at cities, at homes, at hospitals, at churches, at children. The Institute for the Study of War confirmed it: the largest Russian strike series since February 2022. The previous record? Eight hundred and ten launches, set back in September 2025.Ukraine shot down nine hundred and six of them. That is not just a record. That is a revolution in air defence. And almost nobody in the West is paying attention. ----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------SOURCES:Interfax-Ukraine — "Russia launches record 948 drones at Ukraine in 24 hours, 906 downed or damaged – Air Force," March 24, 2026.Kyiv Independent — "Russian drones strike Lviv in daytime attack, casualties reported," March 24, 2026.NBC News — "Russian drones attack downtown Lviv in broad daylight," March 24, 2026.Euronews — "Almost 1,000 drones within 24 hours: Russia launched one of its largest attacks on Ukraine," March 24, 2026.Al Jazeera — "Russia fires 948 drones at Ukraine as new offensive begins," March 24, 2026.PBS News — "Russia fires 400 drones at Ukraine, signaling its spring offensive has started," March 24, 2026.The Art Newspaper — "Unesco-protected monastery in Lviv damaged by Russian drone strike," March 25, 2026.Atlantic Council / UkraineAlert — Peter Dickinson, "Russia bombs UNESCO site as Putin escalates attacks on Ukrainian civilians," March 24, 2026.United24 Media — "Russia Launches 982 Drones and Missiles in Record 24-Hour Attack on Ukraine," March 25, 2026.United24 Media — "UNESCO Speaks Out After Russian Drone Strike Hits Lviv World Heritage Site," March 25, 2026.----------SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon Curtainhttps://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur events of the first half of the year in Lviv, Kyiv and Odesa were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run a minimum of 12 events in 2025, and potentially many more. Any support you can provide for the fundraising campaign would be gratefully appreciated. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasWe need to scale up our support for Ukraine, and these events are designed to have a major impact. Your support in making it happen is greatly appreciated. All events will be recorded professionally and published for free on the Silicon Curtain channel. Where possible, we will also live-stream events.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------

Silicon Bites Ep306 | 2026-03-24 | Russia has become a Digital GULAG, as Moscow and St Petersburg go offline. People are reverting to papers, paper maps and cash. Privileged urban Russians are losing their minds, as finally some of them wake up to the idea that the government does not exist to serve their interests, and maintain their privileges, but does not in fact give a damn about their comfort. Imagine living in one of the most digitised capital cities on the planet – because that is what Moscow is. A city where you pay for your coffee by tapping your phone, pay for everything that is electronically. Where you hail your taxi through an app, navigate by GPS, send money to a friend in seconds. A city that for years was held up — smugly, loudly, by its defenders — as proof that Russia was modern, thriving, untouched by war, despite an authoritarian government. This was a gilded cage, their argued, so why not just live life and enjoy it?!----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------SOURCES:The Moscow Times — "In Moscow, a Week of Mobile Internet Shutdowns Makes Life a Real Pain," March 13, 2026.The Moscow Times — "Widespread Mobile Internet Outages Are Lawful and Needed for Security, Kremlin Says," March 10, 2026.The Moscow Times — "Mobile Internet Outages Hit St. Petersburg After Days of Disruptions in Moscow," March 9, 2026.NBC News — "Mobile internet blackouts sweep Moscow, leaving residents feeling 'powerless'," March 17, 2026.CNN — "Internet outages disrupt daily life in Russia, fueling fears of a digital crackdown," March 21, 2026.Meduza — "The Kremlin says it's cutting off mobile Internet access for security reasons. Muscovites say they're resigning themselves to regular blackouts," March 10, 2026.Reuters (via U.S. News) — "Kremlin Says Moscow Mobile Internet Outages Are Done for Sake of Security," March 10, 2026.----------SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon Curtainhttps://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur events of the first half of the year in Lviv, Kyiv and Odesa were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run a minimum of 12 events in 2025, and potentially many more. Any support you can provide for the fundraising campaign would be gratefully appreciated. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasWe need to scale up our support for Ukraine, and these events are designed to have a major impact. Your support in making it happen is greatly appreciated. All events will be recorded professionally and published for free on the Silicon Curtain channel. Where possible, we will also live-stream events.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------

2026-03-24 | UPDATES #152 | The reaction was instantaneous — and chaotic. Confused and fevered. On the pro-Kremlin side, there was something close to panic. Several people immediately speculated that Remeslo's account had been hacked. He shot that down by posting video messages insisting the words were his and his alone. He looked composed. He did not appear to be under duress. The Breakfast Show interview with Plyushchev put paid to that line of speculation. Apti Alaudinov — the commander of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov's Akhmat special forces — publicly expressed alarm. He described Remeslo as someone who had always seemed completely level-headed and raised the possibility that he'd been kidnapped or was being held against his will (The Moscow Times, March 18, 2026).----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------A REQUEST FOR HELP!I'm heading back to Kyiv next month, to film, do research and conduct interviews. The logistics and need for equipment and clothing are a little higher than for my previous trips. It will be cold, and may be dark also. If you can, please assist to ensure I can make this trip a success. My commitment to the audience of the channel, will be to bring back compelling interviews conducted in Ukraine, and to use the experience to improve the quality of the channel, it's insights and impact. Let Ukraine and democracy prevail! https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrashttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformationNONE OF THIS CAN HAPPEN WITHOUT YOU!So what's next? We're going to Kyiv in April 2026 to film on the ground, and will record interviews with some huge guests. We'll be creating opportunities for new interviews, and to connect you with the reality of a European city under escalating winter attack, from an imperialist, genocidal power. PLEASE HELP ME ME TO GROW SILICON CURTAINWe are planning our events for 2026, and to do more and have a greater impact. After achieving more than 12 events in 2025, we will aim to double that! 24 events and interviews on the ground in Ukraine, to push back against weaponized information, toxic propaganda and corrosive disinformation. Please help us make it happen!----------SOURCES: The Moscow Times — "A Pro-Kremlin Blogger Has Denounced Putin – And Nobody Knows Why," March 18, 2026.NBC News — "A Kremlin loyalist suddenly turned against Putin. A day later, he was in a psychiatric hospital," March 20, 2026.Meduza — "A longtime pro-Putin blogger published a tirade against the Russian president. Now he's in a psychiatric hospital," March 20, 2026.RFE/RL (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) — "A Kremlin Cheerleader Rips Into Putin. A Day Later, He's In A Psychiatric Hospital," March 19, 2026.The Guardian — "Pro-Kremlin loyalist calls on Putin to go in abrupt volte-face," March 19, 2026.GB News — "'Vladimir Putin must go on trial — his war is going nowhere' blasts Kremlin loyalist," March 19, 2026.Bloomberg — "Kremlin Loyalist Turns on Putin as Russians Start to Tire of War," March 19, 2026.Kyiv Independent — "A pro-Kremlin blogger lashed out at Putin; he ended up in a psychiatric ward," March 19, 2026.----------

Adam Dunigan is a 2026 Democratic congressional candidate in Northern Virginia / Virginia's 8th District. He is a former Marine combat veteran who deployed to Afghanistan, later earned a bachelor's degree in social psychology and a master's in international relations from Harvard, moved to Virginia in 2014 for national-security work, and eventually served as a CIA case officer. He resigned from the CIA to run for Congress because he believed U.S. democracy was “backsliding” under Trump. ----------LINKS:https://www.adam4congress.com/https://x.com/adamduniganhttps://ballotpedia.org/Adam_Duniganhttps://www.instagram.com/adamduniganva8/https://secure.actblue.com/donate/adam-dunigan-1----------ACTIVE CAMPAIGN:We are raising funds for 5 of 15 Vampire DronesSilicon Curtain for Kupiansk Vampires. Dzyga's Paw, together with Jonathan Fink, is joining forces to raise $40,000 to provide the Khartiia Brigade with Vampire Drones.https://dzygaspaw.com/silicon-curtain-for-kupiansk-vampiresThese heavy bombers are designed to destroy manpower and equipment, as well as for remote mining. The Vampire UAV, manufactured by Skyfall, has proven itself to be one of the most effective weapons in the Kupiansk direction. Skyfall is one of Ukraine's largest defense tech companies, producing Vampire bomber drones, various modifications of Shrike FPV drones, P1-SUN, Shahed drone interceptors, communication systems, and components.----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------PLATFORMS:Substack: https://substack.com/@siliconcurtainTwitter: https://twitter.com/CurtainSiliconLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finkjonathan/Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4thRZj6NO7y93zG11JMtqm----------DESCRIPTION:----------CHAPTERS:----------THE 'FAITH UNDER SIEGE' TEAM ARE KIND SUPPORTERS OF SILICON CURTAIN: WEBSITE: https://www.faithundersiege.com/TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftGtdC-aO3kFILM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-E4gJWdsyAACHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/@UCx-2kTPvk4Z505gS2ZEch-A REVIEW: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt35428172/----------

2026-03-23 | UPDATES #151 | Ilya Remeslo and the return of the Psikhushka – Political madhouse and state terror in Russia as a Kremlin attack dog turns to bite the hand that previously fed it. On Tuesday night, March 17th, 2026, a man who had spent a decade doing the Kremlin's dirtiest work — hounding dissidents, filing legal complaints against journalists, and personally helping to put Alexei Navalny behind bars — sat down in his flat in St Petersburg and did something nobody saw coming. He turned on Vladimir Putin. And within forty-eight hours, he was inside a psychiatric hospital.This is the story of Ilya Remeslo. And if you think you've heard everything about how the Putin regime eats its own — you haven't heard this. We're only just getting started. ----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------A REQUEST FOR HELP!I'm heading back to Kyiv next month, to film, do research and conduct interviews. The logistics and need for equipment and clothing are a little higher than for my previous trips. It will be cold, and may be dark also. If you can, please assist to ensure I can make this trip a success. My commitment to the audience of the channel, will be to bring back compelling interviews conducted in Ukraine, and to use the experience to improve the quality of the channel, it's insights and impact. Let Ukraine and democracy prevail! https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrashttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformationNONE OF THIS CAN HAPPEN WITHOUT YOU!So what's next? We're going to Kyiv in April 2026 to film on the ground, and will record interviews with some huge guests. We'll be creating opportunities for new interviews, and to connect you with the reality of a European city under escalating winter attack, from an imperialist, genocidal power. PLEASE HELP ME ME TO GROW SILICON CURTAINWe are planning our events for 2026, and to do more and have a greater impact. After achieving more than 12 events in 2025, we will aim to double that! 24 events and interviews on the ground in Ukraine, to push back against weaponized information, toxic propaganda and corrosive disinformation. Please help us make it happen!----------SOURCES: The Moscow Times — "A Pro-Kremlin Blogger Has Denounced Putin – And Nobody Knows Why," March 18, 2026.NBC News — "A Kremlin loyalist suddenly turned against Putin. A day later, he was in a psychiatric hospital," March 20, 2026.Meduza — "A longtime pro-Putin blogger published a tirade against the Russian president. Now he's in a psychiatric hospital," March 20, 2026.RFE/RL (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) — "A Kremlin Cheerleader Rips Into Putin. A Day Later, He's In A Psychiatric Hospital," March 19, 2026.The Guardian — "Pro-Kremlin loyalist calls on Putin to go in abrupt volte-face," March 19, 2026.GB News — "'Vladimir Putin must go on trial — his war is going nowhere' blasts Kremlin loyalist," March 19, 2026.Bloomberg — "Kremlin Loyalist Turns on Putin as Russians Start to Tire of War," March 19, 2026.Kyiv Independent — "A pro-Kremlin blogger lashed out at Putin; he ended up in a psychiatric ward," March 19, 2026.----------

Silicon Bites Ep305 | 2026-03-24 | What is Russia testing? A drone crashes on a Lithuanian lake. A village called Lavisas. Varėna district, southern Lithuania. It's 3:04 in the morning, local time. The forest is dark. The night is cold and the lake is frozen. And then — an eerie buzzing that lasts forty seconds. Followed by a blast and by burning fragments spinning up into the night sky and raining down onto the ice. Security camera footage captured the entire sequence. Lithuanian broadcaster LRT published it this morning. Forty seconds of engine noise, then a detonation, then fire falling from the sky onto a NATO member's territory — twenty kilometres from the border with Belarus. Accident or test? Trial run for a major provocation? Within hours of that blast, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was in a secure briefing with his chief of military intelligence, Oleh Ivashchenko. And Zelenskyy emerged with a stunning announcement that lands like a political detonation. Russia, Ukraine's intelligence services have confirmed, is planning to deploy four new long-range drone control stations on Belarusian territory. ----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------SOURCES:Reuters / US News & World Report — "Lithuania Says a Suspected Drone Enters Its Airspace, Crashes Into Lake Near Belarus" (March 23, 2026)Aerotime — "Suspected cross-border drone explodes in southern Lithuania" (March 23, 2026)Global Banking and Finance — "Lithuania Reports Suspected Drone Crash Near Belarus Border" (March 23, 2026)RBC-Ukraine — "Drone crashes in Lithuania on March 23 near border with Belarus" (March 23, 2026)UA.NEWS — "Lithuania is convening a national security commission following the crash of a drone near the border with Belarus" (March 23, 2026)Reform.news — "Unknown Object Falls And Explodes Near Belarusian Border In Lithuania" (March 23, 2026)Charter'97 — "At Night, An Explosion Occurred In Lithuania Near The Border With Belarus" (March 23, 2026)Pravda EN — "Lithuanian Armed Forces claim drone fell in Varensky district" (March 23, 2026)----------SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon Curtainhttps://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur events of the first half of the year in Lviv, Kyiv and Odesa were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run a minimum of 12 events in 2025, and potentially many more. Any support you can provide for the fundraising campaign would be gratefully appreciated. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasWe need to scale up our support for Ukraine, and these events are designed to have a major impact. Your support in making it happen is greatly appreciated. All events will be recorded professionally and published for free on the Silicon Curtain channel. Where possible, we will also live-stream events.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------

Ken Harbaugh is a former U.S. Navy pilot and mission commander who served from 1996 to 2005 as an EP-3 signals-intelligence aviator, flying missions focused on adversaries including Russia, North Korea, and China. After leaving the Navy, he earned a JD (Juris Doctor) from Yale Law School, taught at The Citadel and as a guest fellow at Yale, co-founded The Mission Continues and Got Your 6, later held senior leadership roles at Team Rubicon, and has since become a media and podcast figure through Burn the Boats, Warriors in Their Own Words, and The Ken Harbaugh Show. He is a senior correspondent for MeidasTouch.----------SEE DRONE HUNTERS OF KHERSON:https://thekenharbaughshow.substack.com/LINKS:https://www.youtube.com/@UCon-4xKJzqoD1JOitZgT5cQ https://x.com/Team_Harbaughhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Harbaughhttps://www.theatlantic.com/author/ken-harbaugh/https://www.facebook.com/TeamHarbaugh/https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenneth-harbaugh-201a7b8/----------ACTIVE CAMPAIGN:We are raising funds for 5 of 15 Vampire DronesSilicon Curtain for Kupiansk Vampires. Dzyga's Paw, together with Jonathan Fink, is joining forces to raise $40,000 to provide the Khartiia Brigade with Vampire Drones.https://dzygaspaw.com/silicon-curtain-for-kupiansk-vampiresThese heavy bombers are designed to destroy manpower and equipment, as well as for remote mining. The Vampire UAV, manufactured by Skyfall, has proven itself to be one of the most effective weapons in the Kupiansk direction. Skyfall is one of Ukraine's largest defense tech companies, producing Vampire bomber drones, various modifications of Shrike FPV drones, P1-SUN, Shahed drone interceptors, communication systems, and components.----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------PLATFORMS:Substack: https://substack.com/@siliconcurtainTwitter: https://twitter.com/CurtainSiliconLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finkjonathan/Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4thRZj6NO7y93zG11JMtqm----------DESCRIPTION:Ken Harbaugh on Ukraine's Drone Hunters, Western Blind Spots, and the Coming Age of Asymmetric WarFormer US Navy EP-3 signals intelligence aviator Ken Harbaugh discusses his reporting on Ukraine's “drone hunters” in Kherson, who shoot down hard-to-detect fiber-optic FPV drones used by Russia in a civilian terror campaign and described as a “human safari,” alongside other indiscriminate tactics like butterfly mines. He argues the US and allies are failing to learn battlefield lessons from Ukraine about scalable drone defense, cost asymmetry, and homeland vulnerability to container-launched drone attacks and cyber disruption, while criticizing leadership deficits, entrenched defense procurement incentives, and what he describes as a White House unwilling to hear hard truths about scenarios like Strait of Hormuz closure. The conversation contrasts Russia's brutality with Ukrainian innovation, including gamified targeting incentives, and warns that the West may only adapt after a major attack. ----------CHAPTERS:00:58 Drone Hunters of Kherson04:03 Human Safari Terror06:31 Hormuz Unpreparedness08:49 Europe Leadership Gap11:50 Lessons From Ukraine14:34 Homeland Drone Threat19:15 Hybrid War and Cyber22:30 Coal and Uranium Wildcard28:00 Allies Push Back32:35 Ukraine Innovation Edge37:30 Military Industrial Drag39:45 Wake Up Call Closing----------THE 'FAITH UNDER SIEGE' TEAM ARE KIND SUPPORTERS OF SILICON CURTAIN: WEBSITE: https://www.faithundersiege.com/TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftGtdC-aO3kFILM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-E4gJWdsyAACHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/@UCx-2kTPvk4Z505gS2ZEch-A REVIEW: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt35428172/----------

2026-03-23 | UPDATES #150 | Ukraine burns Russia's Baltic oil lifeline. Trump made them do it? Outrageous accusation – how is this connected, you may ask? Lifting sanction on Russia oil at sea, lifting sanctions on third country purchases of Russian – oil by India for instance. Another unintended consequence of Trump's war on the Middle East – or entirely intended? That a point of contention. But what's beyond doubt, is that the combination of a spike in oil prices and suspension of sanctions are lifelines for Putin and present an existential threat for Ukraine. They had to act, fast – and acted in the clearest way possible – kinetic sanctions on oil. ----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------A REQUEST FOR HELP!I'm heading back to Kyiv next month, to film, do research and conduct interviews. The logistics and need for equipment and clothing are a little higher than for my previous trips. It will be cold, and may be dark also. If you can, please assist to ensure I can make this trip a success. My commitment to the audience of the channel, will be to bring back compelling interviews conducted in Ukraine, and to use the experience to improve the quality of the channel, it's insights and impact. Let Ukraine and democracy prevail! https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrashttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformationNONE OF THIS CAN HAPPEN WITHOUT YOU!So what's next? We're going to Kyiv in April 2026 to film on the ground, and will record interviews with some huge guests. We'll be creating opportunities for new interviews, and to connect you with the reality of a European city under escalating winter attack, from an imperialist, genocidal power. PLEASE HELP ME ME TO GROW SILICON CURTAINWe are planning our events for 2026, and to do more and have a greater impact. After achieving more than 12 events in 2025, we will aim to double that! 24 events and interviews on the ground in Ukraine, to push back against weaponized information, toxic propaganda and corrosive disinformation. Please help us make it happen!----------SOURCES: Reuters / Yahoo Finance — "Russia's Baltic ports halt oil and fuel exports after drone attacks, sources say" (March 23, 2026) Bloomberg — "Russia's Primorsk Oil Port Hit by Drones in Overnight Attack" (March 23, 2026)The Moscow Times — "Ukraine Strikes Primorsk Port in Northwestern Russia, Damaging Fuel Reservoirs" (March 23, 2026)Kyiv Post — "Ukraine Hits Giant Baltic Oil Terminal Linked to 'Shadow Fleet' as Drone Barrage Sweeps Russia" (March 23, 2026)RBC-Ukraine — "Drones attack one of Russia's largest oil terminals" (March 23, 2026)EADaily — "The Ukrainian Armed Forces hit the largest Russian oil port of Primorsk on the Baltic" (March 23, 2026)----------

​Roman Trokhymets is a Ukrainian soldier and media personality. In 2014, when pro-Russian separatists attacked Donbas, Trokhymets volunteered to fight in the Azov Regiment. Working as a real estate agent in 2022, he joined the Ukrainian Armed Forces after the full scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. LINKS: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Trokhymetshttps://www.instagram.com/romantrokhymets/?hl=enhttps://www.youtube.com/@RomanTrokhymetshttps://www.tiktok.com/@romantrokhymets----------Be in the Army or for the Army! https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/be-in-the-army-or-for-the-armyRick the Ukrainian, Roman Trokhymets, Rick Rollers, and Ukrainian supporters around the world are proud to announce the launch of our new campaign to support the army. This time, we are strengthening the bond between frontline soldiers and volunteers by joining forces to support three combat units with urgently needed vehicles and tires.----------LINKS:YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ricktheukrainianRaising funds for Land Robots for the 3rd Brigade: https://send.monobank.ua/jar/25Q73j7f8xVideo about robots for the 3rd Brigade: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATGA4a45mEEMy PayPal (fundraisers donations): rick.karl1842@gmail.comBuy Me a Coffee (or become a member): https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ricktheukr/membership----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND:Car4Ukrainehttps://car4ukraine.com/en-US/campaignsDzyga's Pawhttps://dzygaspaw.com/projectsSuperhumans - Hospital for war traumashttps://superhumans.com/en/UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukrainehttps://unbroken.org.ua/Come Back Alivehttps://savelife.in.ua/en/Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchenhttps://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraineUNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyyhttps://u24.gov.ua/Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundationhttps://prytulafoundation.orgNGO “Herojam Slava”https://heroiamslava.org/----------PLATFORMS:Substack: https://substack.com/@siliconcurtainTwitter: https://twitter.com/CurtainSiliconLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finkjonathan/Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4thRZj6NO7y93zG11JMtqm----------

2026-03-20 | UPDATES #149 | Today, we were going to ask a basic question. Is Russia helping Iran? The answer is, of course, that they are, but Valdimir Putin seems to have admitted this, and sees it as another way to manipulate Trump, to gain advantage in his war against Ukraine. But the real question is how committed they are, and what is the extent of their support. And digging deeper, what is the impact of that support on helping the Iranian regime to survive, resist the U.S. onslaught – and of course, how far is Russian helping the Iranian regime to target American allies and assets in the region, and ultimately kill Americans. It is March 20th, 2026. American troops are fighting in the Middle East. American servicemembers are dying. And right now, one of America's chief nuclear-armed adversaries is feeding the enemy targeting intelligence to make sure more U.S. assets are erased, its regional allies are terrorised and more Americans die. That adversary is Russia. And the American president's response? He's handing Putin a multi-billion-dollar financial gift – lifting oil sanctions on Russia, and broader sanctions from Putin's puppet state, Belarus.----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------A REQUEST FOR HELP!I'm heading back to Kyiv next month, to film, do research and conduct interviews. The logistics and need for equipment and clothing are a little higher than for my previous trips. It will be cold, and may be dark also. If you can, please assist to ensure I can make this trip a success. My commitment to the audience of the channel, will be to bring back compelling interviews conducted in Ukraine, and to use the experience to improve the quality of the channel, it's insights and impact. Let Ukraine and democracy prevail! https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrashttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformationNONE OF THIS CAN HAPPEN WITHOUT YOU!So what's next? We're going to Kyiv in April 2026 to film on the ground, and will record interviews with some huge guests. We'll be creating opportunities for new interviews, and to connect you with the reality of a European city under escalating winter attack, from an imperialist, genocidal power. PLEASE HELP ME ME TO GROW SILICON CURTAINWe are planning our events for 2026, and to do more and have a greater impact. After achieving more than 12 events in 2025, we will aim to double that! 24 events and interviews on the ground in Ukraine, to push back against weaponized information, toxic propaganda and corrosive disinformation. Please help us make it happen!----------SOURCES: Wall Street Journal — "Russia Is Sharing Satellite Imagery and Drone Technology With Iran" (March 17, 2026) Times of Israel — "Russia sharing satellite imagery and drone technology with Iran – report" (March 18, 2026)Reuters / US News — "Russia Is Sharing Satellite Imagery and Drone Technology With Iran, WSJ Reports" (March 17, 2026)Reuters / US News — "Kremlin Says WSJ Report on Russia Sharing Drone Technology With Iran Is 'Fake News'" (March 18, 2026)Washington Post — "Russia is providing Iran with targeting information to attack American forces" (March 6, 2026)Washington Post — "How Trump suspending sanctions on Russian oil helps Putin's war effort" (March 14, 2026)----------

Anna Danylchuk has been creating a war diary since the early days of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia in 2022. Anna Danylchuk aims to tell the truth about Ukraine and Russia's war and cut through the noise and propaganda. Anna is passionate about the beauty and independence of her country, and communicates this powerfully in her videos, in a clear and honest way.----------LINKS:https://www.youtube.com/@UCiVefOT4TGW3pOqW6AxmlBQ ----------ACTIVE CAMPAIGN:We are raising funds for 5 of 15 Vampire DronesSilicon Curtain for Kupiansk Vampires. Dzyga's Paw, together with Jonathan Fink, is joining forces to raise $40,000 to provide the Khartiia Brigade with Vampire Drones.https://dzygaspaw.com/silicon-curtain-for-kupiansk-vampiresThese heavy bombers are designed to destroy manpower and equipment, as well as for remote mining. The Vampire UAV, manufactured by Skyfall, has proven itself to be one of the most effective weapons in the Kupiansk direction. Skyfall is one of Ukraine's largest defense tech companies, producing Vampire bomber drones, various modifications of Shrike FPV drones, P1-SUN, Shahed drone interceptors, communication systems, and components.----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------Steven Moore is a political strategist, who spent seven years as a chief of staff and senior leadership aide in the United States Congress, developing relationships with senior policymakers across the United States and around the world. He worked on Capitol Hill in the House of Representatives mostly as chief of staff for former Rep. Pete Roskam (R-Ill.), the former chief deputy GOP whip. In that role, Moore was one of the most influential staff members on the Republican side of the aisle. ----------FAITH UNDER SIEGE FILM: WEBSITE: https://www.faithundersiege.com/TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftGtdC-aO3kFILM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-E4gJWdsyAACHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/@UCx-2kTPvk4Z505gS2ZEch-A REVIEW: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt35428172/----------THE TEAMColby Barrett, JD, PE - PRODUCER, EXEC. PRODUCERColby Barrett is an entrepreneur, filmmaker, and former U.S. Marine Corps Captain who led infantry and scout/sniper platoons in the Pacific Rim and Middle East. Steven E. Moore - EXECUTIVE PRODUCERFormer chief of staff in the U.S. House of Representatives who has spent most of his time in Ukraine since day five of the war. He leads the Ukraine Freedom Project (UFP), which has delivered 250 tons of food, medical supplies, body armor, and other critical aid to the front.Anna Shvetsova - EXECUTIVE PRODUCERAnna Shvetsova is the COO of the Ukraine Freedom Project. Raised near the Russian border, she frequently visits the front lines and has engaged with over 100 Congressional offices as an expert on U.S. policy in Ukraine.----------LINKS:https://x.com/MooreUSAhttps://x.com/UKRAINEFREEDOM7https://www.ukrainer.net/ukraine-through-the-eyes-of-steven-moore/https://stevenmoore.substack.com/https://substack.com/@steveninkyiv----------PLATFORMS:Substack: https://substack.com/@siliconcurtainTwitter: https://twitter.com/CurtainSiliconLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finkjonathan/Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4thRZj6NO7y93zG11JMtqm----------

Ben Hodges is a retired United States Army officer, who became commander of United States Army Europe in November 2014, and held that position for three years until retiring from the United States Army in January 2018. Until recently he was the Pershing Chair in Strategic Studies, at the Centre for European Policy Analysis, specialising in NATO, Transatlantic relationship and international security. ----------ACTIVE CAMPAIGN:We are raising funds for 5 of 15 Vampire DronesSilicon Curtain for Kupiansk Vampires. Dzyga's Paw, together with Jonathan Fink, is joining forces to raise $40,000 to provide the Khartiia Brigade with Vampire Drones.https://dzygaspaw.com/silicon-curtain-for-kupiansk-vampiresThese heavy bombers are designed to destroy manpower and equipment, as well as for remote mining. The Vampire UAV, manufactured by Skyfall, has proven itself to be one of the most effective weapons in the Kupiansk direction. Skyfall is one of Ukraine's largest defense tech companies, producing Vampire bomber drones, various modifications of Shrike FPV drones, P1-SUN, Shahed drone interceptors, communication systems, and components.----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------Steven Moore is a political strategist, who spent seven years as a chief of staff and senior leadership aide in the United States Congress, developing relationships with senior policymakers across the United States and around the world. He worked on Capitol Hill in the House of Representatives mostly as chief of staff for former Rep. Pete Roskam (R-Ill.), the former chief deputy GOP whip. In that role, Moore was one of the most influential staff members on the Republican side of the aisle. ----------FAITH UNDER SIEGE FILM: WEBSITE: https://www.faithundersiege.com/TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftGtdC-aO3kFILM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-E4gJWdsyAACHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/@UCx-2kTPvk4Z505gS2ZEch-A REVIEW: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt35428172/----------THE TEAMColby Barrett, JD, PE - PRODUCER, EXEC. PRODUCERColby Barrett is an entrepreneur, filmmaker, and former U.S. Marine Corps Captain who led infantry and scout/sniper platoons in the Pacific Rim and Middle East. Steven E. Moore - EXECUTIVE PRODUCERFormer chief of staff in the U.S. House of Representatives who has spent most of his time in Ukraine since day five of the war. He leads the Ukraine Freedom Project (UFP), which has delivered 250 tons of food, medical supplies, body armor, and other critical aid to the front.Anna Shvetsova - EXECUTIVE PRODUCERAnna Shvetsova is the COO of the Ukraine Freedom Project. Raised near the Russian border, she frequently visits the front lines and has engaged with over 100 Congressional offices as an expert on U.S. policy in Ukraine.----------LINKS:https://x.com/MooreUSAhttps://x.com/UKRAINEFREEDOM7https://www.ukrainer.net/ukraine-through-the-eyes-of-steven-moore/https://stevenmoore.substack.com/https://substack.com/@steveninkyiv----------PLATFORMS:Substack: https://substack.com/@siliconcurtainTwitter: https://twitter.com/CurtainSiliconLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finkjonathan/Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4thRZj6NO7y93zG11JMtqm----------