Silicon Curtain

2026-04-19 | UPDATES #178 | This episode is about how Russia Is building the infrastructure to seize control of every rouble, every account, every transaction, from its population to fuel Putin’s pointless war. Russia’s population are waking up to the reality that their money is not their money. Their property is not their property. Their resources are not their resources. Everything is on loan from the state – retention of all these is conditional upon their loyalty and compliance. What’s expected of them is indifference to politics in peacetime and unreasonable sacrifice, without question in wartime. Their lives are not their lives. And finally, many are discovering that their country is not their country, it’s a territory ruled, and owned, by a class of people that don’t give a damn about their squeals of indignation and outrage at privileges revoked. This is an object lesson for the West too. We may complain about our governments, our politicians, infrastructure and institutions. But things can always be worse, especially if we lose sight of hope, stop believing in progress, and deny our political agency as individuals. Russia shows what happens where there is no rule of law, no moral or political limits on executive power, no concept of the inviolability of property, rights or possessions. ----------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: Kremlin financial control plans — TOLK Forum:The Moscow Times — "How the Kremlin Is Considering Cracking Down on Financial Freedom" (April 7, 2026) The Moscow Times — "Putin Signs Law Allowing Police to Freeze Bank Accounts Without Court Orders" (August 2025)Bloomberg — "Russia's VPN Crackdown Caused Bank Outage, Telegram Founder Says" (April 4, 2026) Business Standard / Bloomberg — "Russia's VPN crackdown caused bank outage, says Telegram founder" (April 4, 2026)Cybernews — "Russia's VPN crackdown triggers payment system disruption, Telegram's CEO Durov says" (April 2026) Techdirt — "Whoops: Russia's Attempt To Block VPNs Causes Major Banking Failure" (April 13, 2026)LatestLY — "Telegram Founder Pavel Durov Blames Russian VPN Crackdown for Major Payment System Failures" (April 4, 2026) Mediazona (English) — "Russia's internet censorship in 2026: VPN crackdowns, mobile shutdowns, Telegram blocks and the state messenger Max" (April 7, 2026) ----------

Jason Jay Smart is a political adviser who has lived and worked in Ukraine, Moldova, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Latin America. Due to his work with the democratic opposition to Vladimir Putin, Smart was made persona non grata for life by Russia in 2010. Jason is a Special Correspondent at the Kyiv Post. It’s the state of US support for Ukraine that we will discuss today.----------LINKS:https://jasonjaysmart.com/ https://www.kyivpost.com/authors/5 https://americanpoliticalservices.com/https://www.facebook.com/jasonjaysmarthttps://twitter.com/officejjsmart ----------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----------DESCRIPTION:Why Ukraine Matters: Media Manipulation, Russia’s Economic Strain, and the War’s Global StakesThe panel argues the war in Ukraine has profound long-term global consequences for Americans and Europeans and must be framed beyond individual strikes. They discuss how corporate media incentives and social-media dynamics amplify outrage, distraction, and cherry-picked narratives, while foreign coverage is limited by cost and lack of permanent TV presences in Ukraine. Speakers contrast Ukraine’s good-faith negotiation posture with Russia’s unserious delegations and propaganda, and contend Russia is increasingly weakened by drone-centric warfare and growing internal economic stress, including deficits, liquidity concerns, toxic loans, and elite asset seizures. They cite dissenting signals from Russian economic and nationalist circles and suggest Putin is detached from reality due to distorted information. The conversation explores post-Putin scenarios, risks of forced ceasefire pressure, Europe and Ukraine security alignment.----------

Silicon Bites Ep320 | 2026-04-18 | Ukraine's war on Russian oil, the allies who begged them to stop, and the sanctions waiver that proved whose side Washington is on. On the morning of April 16th, a plume of black smoke rose from the Russian port city of Tuapse on the Black Sea coast. It stretched over a hundred kilometres out to sea. It was visible from space. NASA published the satellite image.The Tuapse Oil Refinery — a Rosneft facility, one of the ten largest in Russia, with an annual processing capacity of twelve million tons — was on fire. Ukrainian drones from the Security Service's Alpha special operations centre had struck fuel storage tanks, deepwater oil-loading arms, pipeline infrastructure, and a multifunctional radar station. The fire spread to neighbouring reservoirs and burned through the day. Ukraine's General Staff confirmed the strike. The OSINT project CyberBoroshno reported the fire had intensified. OSINTtechnical posted the satellite footage. The port of Tuapse handles up to ten percent of Russia's total petroleum product exports.----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------SOURCES:Kyiv Independent — "Ukrainian drone strikes turn major Russian oil refinery into 'volcano' along the Black Sea" (April 16, 2026) The Moscow Times — "Smoke Plume Rises Above Krasnodar Oil Refinery After Ukraine and Russia Trade Deadly Barrages" (April 16, 2026) UNITED24 Media — "Tuapse Oil Refinery in Flames After Drone Strike Hits Russia's Black Sea Port" (April 16, 2026)Ukrainska Pravda — "Ukraine's special forces hit Rosneft oil terminal in Russia's Tuapse with drones" (April 16, 2026) Ukrinform — "General Staff confirms hits on Tuapse oil refinery" (April 16, 2026) Mezha — "Ukrainian forces struck Tuapse refinery, fires and storage damage reported" (April 16, 2026) Al Jazeera — "Ukraine's long-range strikes prompt new Russian threat against Europe" (April 17, 2026)RBC Ukraine — "Ukraine hits four Russian oil refineries in one night" (April 18, 2026) EA WorldView — "Trump Administration Extends Sanctions Waiver on Russia's Oil" (April 18, 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----------

2026-04-18 | UPDATES #177 | Putin has never been weaker — and he knows it. Everything is falling apart for the tyrant of the Kremlin. Putin has never been in a worse position than he is right now. Nothing is going his way — simultaneously, across every front — in the spring of 2026.The front is stalled. Losses are outpacing recruitment. The economy has contracted for the first time since the invasion. His approval rating is falling for the sixth straight week. Two-thirds of Russians want peace talks. His last remaining European ally was swept from power by his own voters. The oil windfall from the Iran war is evaporating. Ukrainian drones are systematically dismantling Russian refining capacity. And the propaganda machine — the machine that held the line through Kharkiv, through Prigozhin, through four years of attrition — is cracking. In 2022, when Putin lost Kharkiv and Kherson, he still had cards to play. Mobilisation. The war economy. Orbán. Trump. Iran as a partner. The threat of freezing Ukraine into submission. Every card has now been played. None of them worked. Ukraine has only got stronger despite the terrible suffering that Putin has inflicted on the country and its people. ----------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: UNITED24 Media — "Putin's Approval Rating Slides to 66.7% Amid Falling Trust and Declining Party Support" (April 17, 2026) UNITED24 Media — "Putin's Approval Rating Falls to Lowest Level Since 2022" (April 10, 2026)Kyiv Post — "Putin's 'Real' Approval Rating Falls Below 30% for First Time Since Start of War" (April 10, 2026) RBC Ukraine — "Putin's approval rating continues to fall" (April 17, 2026) RFE/RL — "In Russia, Putin Sees Something Not Seen In Years: A Notable Drop In Approval Ratings" (April 2026)Meduza — "Putin's approval rating falls below 70%" (April 10, 2026) Kyiv Independent — "Russia sets yet another Donbas capture deadline" (April 17, 2026) Kyiv Post — "Moscow Gears Up for New Offensive, Eyes Total Donbas Control by September" (April 17, 2026)ISW / Critical Threats — "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, April 13, 2026" ----------

2026-04-18 | UPDATES #176 | Easter lies, fratricide on the front line, and 667 reasons Ukraine’s air defences are the best in the world. On Easter Saturday, Vladimir Putin declared a thirty-two-hour ceasefire. A humanitarian gesture, the Kremlin called it. The truce would begin at 4pm Moscow time and last through Orthodox Easter Sunday. There is a pattern to Moscow’s announcements – major defeats are always labelled as humanitarian gestures.By 7am the next morning, Russia had violated its own ceasefire two thousand, two hundred and ninety-nine times. Twenty-eight assault operations. Four hundred and seventy-nine shelling fires on Ukrainian positions. Seven hundred and forty-seven kamikaze drone strikes. One thousand and forty-five FPV drone attacks. Near Chasiv Yar in Donetsk, Russian forces used first-person-view drones to attack unarmed Russian soldiers who were being evacuated from the front line during the supposed truce. They killed three of their own men. Then, four days later — on April 16th — Russia launched its most devastating aerial attack of 2026. Nearly seven hundred drones. Dozens of ballistic and cruise missiles. Sixteen dead, including a twelve-year-old boy in Kyiv. Over a hundred wounded. A drone slammed directly into an eighteen-storey residential building. Easter peace. Russian style. We're talking about a pattern of deception that stretches back more than a decade — and a Ukrainian air defence network that just shot down ninety-five percent of everything Russia threw at 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!----------SOURCES: Al Jazeera — "Russia and Ukraine agree to 32-hour Orthodox Easter ceasefire" (April 10, 2026)Al Jazeera — "Ukraine and Russia accuse each other of breaching Easter ceasefire" (April 12, 2026)Euronews — "Ukraine and Russia accuse each other of breaching 36-hour Orthodox Easter ceasefire" (April 12, 2026) Euronews — "Ukraine and Russia exchange prisoners ahead of Orthodox Easter ceasefire" (April 11, 2026) PBS News — "Orthodox Easter ceasefire falters as Ukraine says Russia continues drone strikes" (April 12, 2026) PBS News — "Russia and Ukraine accuse each other of Easter ceasefire violations" (April 12, 2026) ----------

Lev Parnas is a Soviet-born American businessman and former associate of Rudy Giuliani. Parnas, Giuliani, Igor Fruman, John Solomon, Yuriy Lutsenko, Dmytro Firtash and his allies, Victoria Toensing and Joe diGenova, were involved in creating the false Biden–Ukraine conspiracy theory, which was part of the Trump–Ukraine scandal's efforts to damage Joe Biden. As president, Donald Trump said he did not know Parnas nor what he was involved in; Parnas insisted Trump "knew exactly what was going on". In October 2021, Parnas was found guilty in U.S. Federal Court on six counts related to illegal donations to the 2020 campaign of Donald Trump. He was sentenced to 20 months in prison, three years of supervised release and $2,322,500 in restitution on June 29, 2022. In early March 2026, Parnas announced his candidacy for the Florida 27th district seat in the 2026 election. ----------LINKS:https://levparnas.org/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lev_Parnashttps://www.occrp.org/en/investigation/parnas-adventures-in-magalandhttps://www.c-span.org/video/?c5110982/lev-parnas-testifies-coordinated-effort-falsely-accuse-biden-familyhttps://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Parnas-Lev-Written-Statement.pdf----------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----------DESCRIPTION:In a livestream tied to a Ukraine fundraiser, Lev Parnas explains why he is running for Congress in Florida’s 27th District, saying he wants to create change beyond social media and challenge Democratic establishment leadership. Drawing on his role as a former gatekeeper between Trump and Giuliani and his experience in “shadow diplomacy,” he argues Trump is not a friend to Ukraine and is driven primarily by money and power, viewing Russia as strong and Ukraine as weak, with future profit motives tied to rebuilding resources coordinated with Russian interests. Parnas criticizes Michael Cohen and Michael Wolff as unreliable and calls Anthony Scaramucci the most credible of the three discussed. The group discusses decades of Russian oligarch money and influence in Western real estate and politics, propaganda shaping US attitudes toward Ukraine, and Putin’s relationships with other leaders. ----------

Silicon Bites Ep319 | 2026-04-17 | Russia's Donbas ultimatum, America’s contradictions, and why JD Vance doesn't know what he's talking about. How do I know? On April 8th, from Budapest — standing alongside Viktor Orbán — JD Vance looked into a camera and said this: "We're talking about haggling at this point over a few square kilometres of territory in one direction or another. Is that worth losing hundreds of thousands of additional Russian and Ukrainian young men?"A few square kilometres. That's the Vice President of the United States describing the fate of millions of Ukrainian citizens, a fortified defensive belt holding back a Russian army of 680,000, and territory that — if surrendered — would give Moscow a launchpad for the next phase of its invasion.Two days later, Zelenskyy responded. "The Vice President, with all due respect, does not take part in the negotiations. If he were involved, he would probably have a deeper understanding of what Ukrainian territory actually is."----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------SOURCES:Kyiv Independent — "Russia sets yet another Donbas capture deadline while demanding Ukraine withdraw without fighting, HUR says" (April 17, 2026) Kyiv Post — "Moscow Gears Up for New Offensive, Eyes Total Donbas Control by September – HUR" (April 17, 2026)Rubryka — "Russia prepares spring-summer offensive and aims to seize Donbas by autumn – Ukraine's intelligence" (April 17, 2026) Ostro Info / Hromadske — "Russia intends to carry out a summer offensive and capture Donbas by September" (April 2026) UNITED24 Media — "Russia Gives Ukraine Two-Month Deadline to Leave Donbas, Zelenskyy Says" (March 31, 2026) Al Jazeera — "Russia claims to take full control of Ukraine's Luhansk region" (April 1, 2026) CFR Global Conflict Tracker — "War in Ukraine" (updated April 2026) RFE/RL — "Rubio Accuses Zelenskyy Of Lying About US Position On Bid To End Russia's War" (March 27, 2026) Kyiv Independent — "'That's a lie' — Rubio dismisses Zelensky's claims US security guarantees tied to withdrawal from Donbas" (March 27, 2026)Kyiv Independent — "Zelensky responds to Rubio's accusation of lying" (March 28, 2026)Euronews — "Rubio slams Zelenskyy's Donbas comments and says US may divert Ukraine arms to Iran" (March 27, 2026)The Irish Times — "'That's a lie': Rubio denies Zelenskiy claim US is demanding Kyiv give up eastern Donbas" (March 28, 2026) Kyiv Post — "Rubio Rejects Zelensky's Claim That US Linked Security Guarantees to Ukraine's Withdrawal From Donbas" (March 27, 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----------

2026-04-17 | UPDATES #175 | The economic forum where Russia’s own political and economic scientists said the quiet part out loud. It’s not good news for Putin. Last week, something extraordinary happened in Moscow. In a conference centre in the middle of the capital, at an event the authorities have tolerated for a decade — the Moscow Economic Forum. Tolerated why? Because the regime needs some feedback mechanisms to help shape policy, needs a way to monitor the dissent from its policy course from the professional classes (not political dissenters, these are not tolerated), and because they know these people will never openly turn on the regime. But something has changed. The sense of doom, angst and despair has grown, and the frustration with Putin’s choices on the economy, on funding the war, are bubbling to the surface. The Elites are distancing themselves from Putin’s policies and starting to peel away from him as a figure – but don’t expect that to translate into a political revolution. It won’t. ----------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: BIZNES Online — "We are heading for trouble — a double-digit economic decline: rescue recipes from MEF" (Мы идем к беде – двузначному падению экономики: рецепты спасения от МЭФ) (April 2026) Komsomolskaya Pravda (KP.RU) — "At MEF-2026, they called for urgent repair of the Russian economy" (На МЭФ-2026 призвали срочно начать ремонт российской экономики) (April 13, 2026) Svoye Delo Plus — "We are in trouble and running late: Academician Robert Nigmatulin delivers sharp criticism of economic management" (April 15, 2026)Infokam — "Academician Robert Nigmatulin calls for saving Russia" (April 2026)REPOST News — "Academician Nigmatulin forecasts double-digit economic decline" (April 10, 2026) MEF official site — Plenary I: "From cooling to development" (April 2026) MEF official site — Programme and agenda (April 7–8, 2026) Pravda Germany / PolitNavigator — "At the Moscow Economic Forum, they argued about the desire of young people to work" (April 9, 2026) PRIME / RIA — MEF-2026 preview and participant list (April 7, 2026) ----------

Silicon Bites Ep318 | 2026-04-16 | The people who wrote Britain’s latest strategic defence plan just turned on the government that commissioned it. The dam of consensus broke at the Guildhall in Salisbury. A former NATO Secretary General — a man Sir Keir Starmer personally appointed to write Britain's blueprint for national defence — walked to a lectern, looked out at the room, and said:"We are underprepared. We are underinsured. We are under attack. We are not safe. Britain's national security and safety is in peril."That man is Lord George Robertson. Former Labour defence secretary. Former head of the most powerful military alliance on Earth. And the person who, alongside Fiona Hill and General Sir Richard Barrons, delivered the government's own Strategic Defence Review just ten months ago. They gave Starmer sixty-two recommendations. He accepted all of them. He promised to deliver them at — these were his words — "wartime pace." But then failed to deliver change at that speed or 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:Sky News — "'Corrosive complacency' – Lord Robertson tears into Starmer and Reeves in extraordinary intervention on defence spending" (15 April 2026) Global Defense Corp — "Welfare payments chewed the defence budget. 'Corrosive complacency' towards British national security, Lord Robertson says" (16 April 2026)BritBrief — "Ex-Labour defence chiefs demand welfare cuts to fund military spending, warning security is 'in peril'" (14 April 2026) BritBrief — "Starmer rejects ex-NATO chief's warning that UK security is 'in peril'" (15 April 2026)GBNews — "Keir Starmer hits back at ex-Nato chief after attack on Labour's defence plans" (14 April 2026) Forces News — "Lord Robertson's critique on defence gives voice to AF community who can't speak out" (14 April 2026) The Independent / AOL — "Reeves digs heels in over defence boost despite fears UK security is 'in peril'" (14 April 2026) WSWS — "Labour peer George Robertson demands UK welfare spending cull to fund 'warfighting readiness'" (15 April 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----------

2026-04-16 | UPDATES #174 | Putin's wrecked economy – the grandfather in the Kremlin and the elite who want him gone. Yesterday, in a Kremlin meeting room, Vladimir Putin looked across a table at his own ministers and Central Bank chief Elvira Nabiullina — and demanded that they explain to him, in plain Russian, why the economy he built, the war machine he fuelled, the "fortress" he promised, is cracking under his feet. Maybe he is not recognising the full extent of the problem – maybe he is not being told the full extent of the problem – but he is starting to acknowledge that there is a problem. The source of the problem is of course his disastrous war, his kleptocratic regime, global ambitions – but none of these will be admitted to. ----------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 — "Putin Demands Answers as Russia's Economy Undershoots Expectations" (April 15, 2026) Bloomberg — "Putin Orders Officials to Explain Russia's Economic Slowdown as GDP Falls" (April 15, 2026)Meduza — "Putin says Russia's GDP contraction in first 2 months of year is due to seasonal factors" (April 15, 2026) Xinhua / Free Malaysia Today — "Putin sounds alarm over Russia's slowing economy" (April 15, 2026) EADaily / Bloomberg report — "In Russia, they decided not to jam Telegram because of the fall in Putin's rating" (April 14, 2026) The Moscow Times — "Russia's Civilian Industry Downturn Accelerated in Early 2026" (March 30, 2026) Euromaidan Press — "Moscow booms as Russia's provinces collapse under war costs" (January 13, 2026) UNITED24 Media — "Why Major Russian Factories Are Shifting to Three-Day Workweeks" (April 2026)NV (New Voice of Ukraine) — "Russia's GDP shrinks 1.8% as 22 industries slide into decline" (April 2026) RBC Ukraine — "Crisis deepens in Russia's auto sector as KAMAZ trims workweek and AvtoVAZ shuts down line" (April 2026) The Moscow Times — "Russia's Rusal to Shutter Major Silicon Plant as Industry Cuts Deepen" (November 17, 2025) Militarnyi — "Russian Tank-Building Uralvagonzavod Announced Large-Scale Layoffs" (November 7, 2025) World Socialist Web Site — "Russia: Mass layoffs, strikes amid expanding war" (March 30, 2026) ----------

Silicon Bites Ep317 | 2026-04-15 | Russia’s gold reserves are going, going, gone. The kremlin starts eating its war chest. For the first time in nearly a quarter century, Vladimir Putin is selling Russia's gold. Not lending it. Not shuffling it from one Kremlin pocket to another. Selling it. On the open market. To pay for a war he cannot win and cannot stop.Here is what just happened, confirmed by The Moscow Times on March 24th and corroborated by the World Gold Council, Euromaidan Press, and Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service. In January, the Central Bank of Russia liquidated 300,000 troy ounces of physical gold. In February, another 200,000. Roughly fourteen metric tons in two months — the largest bullion drawdown since the second quarter of 2002. Russia's total gold reserves have collapsed to 74.3 million ounces, the lowest level since March 2022 — the month the full-scale invasion began.And the bigger picture is uglier still. According to Russia's own Ministry of Finance data reviewed by The Moscow Times, the gold held in the National Wealth Fund — the sovereign rainy-day pot — has been slashed by 71 percent since May 2022. From 554.9 tons down to roughly 160. Three quarters of the war chest. Gone.----------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, "Russia's Gold Sales Hit Highest Level Since 2002 as Budget Pressures Mount," March 23, 2026United24 Media, "Russian Central Bank Drains Gold For the First Time Since 2002 as War Deficit Mounts," March 2026 United24 Media, "Russia Liquidates 71% of Its Gold Reserves to Finance War Effort," January 21, 2026 Euromaidan Press, "Gold down 27%, Urals up 71% — Russia's sanctions hedge melts as its oil budget fills," March 24, 2026 UAWire, "Russia sells gold reserves for first time in 25 years to cover budget deficit," March 2026 NV / The New Voice of Ukraine, "Russia sells gold reserves for first time in 25 years to cover budget gap," March 2026The Gold Forecast / Kitco News, "Russian restrictions on gold could exacerbate selloff," March 25, 2026 Arabic Trader, "Russia bans the export of heavy gold bars starting from this date" (Putin decree, TASS), March 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----------

2026-04-15 | UPDATES #173 | This was the plan all along. Get Ukraine out of the way one way or another. If Biden’s administration (and those that preceded it) treated Ukraine as a second-tier ally and Russia as a peer adversary, then Trump’s administration has flipped the script. In their perception, Ukraine is a third or forth tier country, and barely a partner at all, whereas Russia has become a prospective ally, trading partner and a power whose vision of the world is in alignment with that of the U.S. The cover story is a that Russia shares common, conservative and traditional values, but the subtext is that Russia aspires to imperial regional hegemony, with an informal view of power relations built on transaction, coercion and the idea that might makes right. This is a world that Trump empathises with, and in which he aspires to become a player in.But as ever, he has backed a loser and invested his political capital in a losing idea. Trump and Co. constantly overestimate Russia’s strength and fail to see how brittle and weak it has become. They also have a contempt for Ukraine that blinds them to how strong it has become, and how much stronger it could get, in the wake of a defeat of Russia in Ukraine and self-ejection of the U.S. from the security and defence architecture of Europe. ----------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: VSquare investigation, Kremlin Hotline: How Hungary Coordinates With Russia Blocking Ukraine From the EU (published April 8, 2026). Reuters, Key quotes from Vance and Orban's news conference (April 7, 2026). Reuters, Hungary vote removes Ukraine's staunchest foe in EU (April 13, 2026). Reuters, Trump tells ABC News reporter he was not concerned about Orban's loss in Hungary (April 15, 2026). Reuters, NATO on track to fund Ukraine defence aid despite burden-sharing gaps, Rutte says (April 15, 2026). Reuters, Ukraine retakes 50 sq km of territory in March, army chief says (April 15, 2026).Reuters, Russia launches more than 300 drones, missiles at Ukraine overnight (April 15, 2026).Reuters, Ukraine to produce drones in Norway, Oslo says (April 14, 2026). Reuters, Merz and Zelenskiy sign drone and defence cooperation accords (April 14, 2026). Reuters, Russian special envoy Dmitriev in US, meeting Trump administration members, sources say (April 9, 2026). ----------

2026-04-14 | UPDATES #172 | The ghost leaves the machine — Surkov’s alleged flight and the unravelling of Putinism. The man who invented "managed reality" for the Kremlin has, reportedly, had to manage his own reality to remain out of prison. Disappeared. A fugitive. That’s the rumour. The subject of a criminal case being — and I quote the phrasing from Russian sources — "being prepared." The ghost-writer of Putin's postmodern autocracy has been ghosted by the system he built.Vladislav Surkov. Putin's brain. That was never Dugin – but Surkov is a far more likely candidate for that title. The grey cardinal. The architect of sovereign democracy. The curator of the invasion of Ukraine. The man who ran the Donbas occupation like a stage production. And, according to multiple Russian and Ukrainian sources in the last few hours, a man who has just bolted from Russia — one step ahead, they say, of the FSB knock on the door.----------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: EADaily, "What do you mean, 'left'? The Kremlin commented on Surkov's 'emergency departure'" (11 March 2026) — Peskov / RTVI quote, Yuri Kotenok Telegram sourcing. Informat (Romania), "Vladislav Surkov, former advisor to Putin, has fled Russia due to investigations related to the management of funds" (10 March 2026) — UAE / Latin America speculation, 2014–2020 funds investigation.Ukraine Today, "BREAKING NEWS: Vladislav Surkov has urgently fled Russia fearing immediate arrest" (10 March 2026) Stellar Reaches, "A Russian Puppetmaster Flees" (11 March 2026)PD Jukes / Trojan Horses Substack, "The Ghost Who Fled: Surkov's Fall and the Unravelling of Putinism" (Scout's Diary Entry #444, 9 March 2026) The L'Express interview (19 March 2025) and analysis:Kyiv Post, "'War in Ukraine Will Separate Sheep From Goats' – Vladislav Surkov" (24 March 2025) Ukrainska Pravda (English), "'Novorossiya' ideologist claims Russia has no borders and will expand in all directions – ISW" (23 March 2025)UNITED24 Media, "'Russian World Has No Borders': Putin's Ex-Advisor Lays Out Kremlin's Expansionist Vision" (23 March 2025) Institute for the Study of War (via X/Twitter), 22 March 2025 assessment American Foreign Policy Council / National Interest, Ilan I. Berman, "Russia's Imperial Mindset Hasn't Changed" (11 April 2025)----------

Published on Victory Day - deliberately. While Putin’s tanks roll across Red Square on 9 May (if the parade goes ahead), Ukrainian drone operators are dismantling that same military in real time. The Dark Heart of Russia is published on that date as an ironic statement: the war Russia says it is winning is the war it has already lost.WHO IS IN IT: Four NATO commanding officers. The former NSC Russia director. The man who broke the Kremlin’s money. A chess grandmaster. A Nobel Peace Prize laureate. The Russian Duma deputy who cast the lone vote against the annexation of Crimea - who now fights for Ukraine. 30 of the world’s leading experts deliver the verdict the West has been too timid to hear. General David H. Petraeus, General Sir Richard Shirreff, General Mark Hertling, Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, Fiona Hill, Garry Kasparov, Bill Browder, Peter Pomerantsev, Luke Harding, Mark Galeotti, Oleksandra Romantsova, Ilya Ponomarev, and fourteen more.Edited by Jonathan Fink | Gibson Square | Publication date 9 May 2026. Drawn for their exceptional insight into Russia’s political soul from nearly 1,000 long-form interviews recorded for the leading Geopolitical podcast Silicon Curtain (YouTube) - 2M+ views/month, 180k subscribers.----------The Dark Heart of Russia - NOW available from the following stores: Bookshop.orghttps://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-dark-heart-of-russia-a-startling-journey-through-russia-s-sinister-culture-jonathan-fink/a452423d870823fcWorld of Bookshttps://www.worldofbooks.com/en-gb/products/dark-heart-of-russia-book-jonathan-fink-9781783342662Waterstoneshttps://www.waterstones.com/book/the-dark-heart-of-russia/jonathan-fink//9781783342662Blackwellshttps://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/9781783342662Hatchardshttps://www.hatchards.co.uk/book/the-dark-heart-of-russia/bill-browder/9781783342679Amazon UKhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Dark-Heart-Russia-Journey-Startling/dp/1783342668/ref=mp_s_a_1_3----------FOUR ARGUMENTS THE WEST HAS REFUSED TO MAKE1. Russians are also the problem.The fiction that Putin alone is responsible does not survive the evidence. Vast sections of Russian society have participated actively in an imperial project that has killed hundreds of thousands.2. Something is structurally wrong with Russia.The rot predates Putin and will outlast him. Contributors trace it from the totalitarian inheritance to today’s Orwellian state. Regime change alone is not a solution, for an empire wired for aggression.3. Russia is the global export hub for kleptocracy.The Kremlin is the laboratory for ‘kleptocratism’: capturing democracies, weaponising grievance, installing strongmen, exporting chaos. From Trump’s America to Orbán’s Hungary - Moscow’s playbook is everywhere.4. This war is the hinge of the century.How it ends - and on whose terms - will determine whether constitutional democracies or the authoritarian-kleptocrat model prevails. There is no separating Ukraine from the wider crisis of the West.“The West is, once again, being lulled to sleep. The thirty voices in this book are the ones who have spent their careers refusing to let that happen.” - Jonathan Fink----------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 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.org----------

Ostap Ukrainats was born in 1994 in Kalush, Ivano-Frankivsk in western Ukraine. He graduated from the National Kyiv-Mohyla University with BA and MA degrees in comparative literature. He made his debut as a writer in 2017 with the novel "Malchut", which was hailed the "debut of the year" by Village magazine. Since then, his novels „Trance” and „Crusade Chancellery” were well received by readers. Ostap writes in the genre of historical and peculiar fiction, often referring to cultural heritage and history of anecdotes. He lives in Lviv. Of his four novels, three are dedicated to historical events and explore Ukrainian identity through the prism of postcolonial and trauma studies. A year before the invasion, he opened a publishing house specializing in humanities with his wife and their colleague.----------LINKS:https://willadecjusza.pl/en/ostap-ukrainets-ostap-ukrayinets-1https://lareviewofbooks.org/contributor/ostap-ukrainets/https://www.instagram.com/ukrostap/https://bookforum.ua/en/participants/9131https://lareviewofbooks.org/short-takes/dont-touch-my-corner-the-war-from-ivano-frankivsk/----------Easter Pysanky: Silicon Curtain - https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/easter-pysanky-silicon-curtainCar for Ukraine has joined forces with a group of influencers, creators, and news observers during this special Easter season. In peaceful times, we might gift a basket of pysanky (hand-painted eggs), but now, we aim to deliver a basket of trucks to our warriors.This time, our main focus is on the Seraphims of the 104th Brigade and Chimera of HUR (Main Directorate of Intelligence), highly effective units that: - disrupt enemy logistics - detect and strike command centers - carry out precision operations against high-value enemy targetshttps://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/easter-pysanky-silicon-curtain----------SILICON CURTAIN FILM FUNDRAISERA project to make a documentary film in Ukraine, to raise awareness of Ukraine's struggle and in supporting a team running aid convoys to Ukraine's front-line towns.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon Curtainhttps://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur first live events this year in Lviv and Kyiv 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. We may add more venues to the program, depending on the success of the fundraising campaign. 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----------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/----------

2026-04-13 | UPDATES #171 | Falling out of the sky: Russia’s air power is rusting to oblivion. On the ninth of December last year, a Russian An-22 — the biggest turboprop military transport ever built, one of maybe five still airworthy in the entire Russian fleet — broke apart in mid-air over the Ivanovo region and plunged into a reservoir. Seven crew dead. It had just come out of scheduled repairs. Three and a half months later, on the thirty-first of March, a Russian An-26 fell out of the sky over occupied Crimea. Twenty-nine people on board. Nobody walked away. Among the dead: Lieutenant General Aleksandr Otroshchenko, commander of the Northern Fleet's Mixed Aviation Corps. Russia’s aviation capabilities and resources are atrophying. Soon, it may devolve back to a time of pre-flight technical civilization, without external support. Tonight — the slow, documented, self-inflicted collapse of Russian military air power. And the delicious, bitter irony sitting at the heart 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!----------

Silicon Bites Ep316 | 2026-04-12 | Orbán falls: the strongman who ran out of tricks and cons. Another one bites the dust. Tonight, on the banks of the Danube, tens of thousands of Hungarians are chanting "Russian, go away" — and Viktor Orbán, the European Union's longest-serving leader, the self-styled architect of "illiberal democracy," the man Donald Trump's MAGA movement called the future of the West… has just phoned his rival to concede defeat. After sixteen years. After four straight victories. After rewriting the constitution, capturing the courts, gerrymandering the map, and turning state media into a personal megaphone — Orbán has been beaten. And not by a sliver. Not by a recount margin. By a landslide so wide that, in the words of his conqueror, it is "visible from the moon and every window in Hungary."The numbers first, because the numbers are staggering. With around 77 percent of precincts counted, Péter Magyar's Tisza party — that's the Party of Respect and Freedom — is sitting on roughly 53 percent. Orbán's Fidesz: 38. According to The Irish Times, Tisza is projected to take 138 of the 199 seats in Hungary's parliament. Fidesz collapses from 133 seats in 2022 down to 54. That's not a defeat. That's a demolition. And here's the kicker: Tisza is on course for a two-thirds supermajority — the exact same constitutional sledgehammer Orbán used to entrench himself for a decade and a half. Now it belongs to the man who wants to dismantle his machine that operated in favour of a corrupt clique and the Kremlin. Turnout? Over 77 percent by 6:30 in the evening — the AP and PBS both reporting it as a record in post-Communist Hungarian history. Magyar told the crowd in Budapest that 3.3 million Hungarians voted for him — more than any party has ever received in the country's democratic era.----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------SOURCES:Al Jazeera — "Peter Magyar's Tisza wins Hungary election as Viktor Orban concedes" (12 April 2026): PBS NewsHour / AP wire — "Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán concedes defeat after 'painful' election result" (12 April 2026)CNN Live — "Hungary election: Trump ally Viktor Orbán concedes landmark defeat after 16 years in power" (12 April 2026)NBC News — "Viktor Orbán concedes defeat as Hungary's Tisza Party heads for election win" (12 April 2026)NBC News — "After 16 years in power, Putin's closest friend in Europe faces a pivotal election" (11 April 2026)CBC News — "Hungarian voters reject Trump-Putin ally Orbán in favour of pro-West rival Magyar" (12 April 2026)The Irish Times — "Viktor Orban concedes defeat in Hungarian election as opposition heads for landslide win" (12 April 2026)TIME — "Far Right Leader Viktor Orbán Ousted by Voters After 16 Years in Power. Here's What That Means" (12 April 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----------

2026-04-12 | UPDATES #170 | The moral vacuum at the heart of Putinism and Russian World philosophy is exemplified by Pavel Gubarev. He’s conducted a long interview with the hugely popular online host Yuri Dud. And it reveals that Pavel Gubarev, as well as being a despicable and cowardly functionary of a vile regime, an unashamed agent of chaos and death, who has no remorse for his role in the destruction Russia has wrought, and can barely rationalise that role in any coherent way. But the interview also shows him to be the embodiment of the pointless absurdity of the Russian World, it's cruelty and irrationality, contradictions and perversity, Putin's bandit empire, which clearly shows the nihilism of Russian imperialism that brings only destruction and suffering.A note on Yuri Dud, who is likely unfamiliar to Western audiences. He is not a propagandist, has been sanctioned by the Putin regime, now bears the infamous ‘Foreign Agent’ designation, and does not reside in Russia. He is a German-born Russian journalist known primarily for his YouTube channel, vDud, where he published interviews with individuals from Russia and other post-Soviet states. He is one of the most popular YouTubers in Russia, with over ten million subscribers. His series of socio-political interviews have included multiple opponents of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, but also has interviewed many proponents of the regime, and celebrities still residing in Russia. Because of that he is considered problematic by many Ukrainians, and his critique of pro-war Russians could be interpreted as ambiguous or lacking in moral and political clarity. He considers himself to be of Ukrainian origin and Russian by identity. ----------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!----------

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----------