Silicon Curtain

Fighting propagandistic lies with more lies rarely works and runs the risk of eroding trust in your credibility and undermining your cause. However, there is a role for so-called Black disinformation in wartime. This deliberate dissemination of false or misleading information can be highly effective as part of a military operation. Information campaigns with the intent to deceive, manipulate, or u...

Today I’m speaking with Artur Rehi, influential YouTuber, and Estonian reserve soldier. He completed conscription in 2018 in Kuperjanov Infantry battalion in company communications and now delivers aid to Ukraine after every 2 months and generates fundraisers for his viewers on YouTube. He looks at the war with insight, empathy, and humour, and brings his audience the latest updates on the Russo-U...

After Putin’s Munich Security conference speech in 2007, Moscow’s intent to challenge the West became clearer. A question arose almost immediately: how far the country as a whole or its leader was at fault— whether the world had a Russia problem or a Putin problem. Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine analysts have continued to debate the attitudes of ordinary Russians toward the war. Do a bro...

DW Phillips is a Producer and Film Director, Attorney and Journalist. He has been involved in some extraordinary projects in Ukraine as a Documentary Filmmaker. ---------- LINKS: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dw-p-59111859/ https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineStory ---------- SUPPORT THE CHANNEL: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain https://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain ---------- TRUSTED CHARIT...

Timothy Ash has been arguing for more than 18 months that the $300 billion plus of Russia central bank monies “immobilised” in Western jurisdictions should be formally frozen, seized and allocated to Ukraine both to compensate it for the immense damage done by Russia to Ukraine but also to give it a chance of being able to fund the war, to secure victory, and subsequent peace and reconstruction. F...

GUEST: Mark Galeotti - historian, author, security expert and academic. ---------- Cornered like a rat, Vladimir Putin is more dangerous than ever. We want his regime to be unstable, fragile, and collapsing – but 14 months of war have shown it is remarkably resilient. We wanted the Russian people to rise up against tyranny, but more than a million fled the country instead. Analysts, politicians, a...

Today I’m speaking with Operator Starsky, a Ukrainian National Guardian, blogger, and inspiration for everyone who is following the war, and supporting a Ukrainian victory. He has created one of the most popular and original YouTube channels dedicated to the international community. I’m not sure you need an introduction – I’m sure most people watching this channel will have seen your videos! -----...

Many Republicans no longer support aid for Ukraine. But is the obstruction of aid to Ukraine being driven by a few radicals at the behest of former president Donald Trump, or is there wider lack to strong support for Ukraine within a highly polarised GOP? Does Ukraine need to go beyond Washington DC to ensure US support, and reach out to Middle America? ---------- Jason Jay Smart is a political ad...

Production in the military-industrial complex is squeezing money out of the civilian economy. How much longer can Putin keep burning money, resources and people on a project that is neither creating sustainable wealth for citizens, nor substantial successes in Ukraine. Russia's economic growth relies heavily on state-funded arms and ammunition production and masks a multitude of problems, incl...

Edition No37 | 01-03-2024 Ukrainian forces shot down the second Russian Su-34 attack plane in a single day on Feb. 27, the Air Force reported. The destruction of the jet is the latest in a recent uptick of downed Russian planes, including two A-50 early warning and control aircraft in the past two months, each costing around $330 million. There are signs that the uptick in aircraft losses has caus...

Today I am speaking with a rare and special person – a Russian activist with an unambiguous, strong voice condemning the crimes and horrors being committed in Ukraine by Russia, and who is doing it with humour and passion. It has to be said, that he’s also taking on considerable risk in doing so. Fortunately, he’s also doing this in English, so you can follow his views on Twitter and Telegram. Den...

Kostiantyn Koshelenko has created a unique book, on management in times of war. The book emerged not by choice but by necessity, following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. From the beginning of the chaos of war, Kostiantyn felt compelled to record his thoughts and observations. It grew to become a collection of reflections that shaped and refined his management practices,...

Fighting for Ukraine by supporting heroes on the front. Fundraising for frontline supplies and fighting vatniks with NAFO. A volunteer helping UA Defenders on the front --- A member of #NAFO and a Big Fan of #InternationalLegionofUkraine PATCHES ORDER FORM: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScUQkKlaPPTy9fGmhMErp--S-UJhA3UN-vyf6ieAIf2eiyEHA/viewform?pli=1 ------- DONATE: Come Back Alive - ht...

Katerina Sergatskova is a journalist, writer, safety trainer, and entrepreneur. she is co-founder of Zaborona Media and 2402 Foundation. Katerina is a Kurt Shork Awardee, and works in developing safety culture in Ukraine and globally. She is Exec. Director at Daily Humanity, and is interested in human rights, freedoms, and resilience. Her writing has appeared in Foreign Affairs, NYT, Politiken, Gr...

GUEST: Anna from Ukraine - Anna Danylchuk ---------- 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 vide...

Edition No36 | 23-02-2024 Jailed opposition politician Vladimir Kara-Murza on Thursday urged Russians to keep fighting for democracy despite the death of Alexei Navalny in an Arctic prison. Navalny's death last week sent shockwaves through Russia's opposition, most of which is either in exile, behind bars, or dead. "I still cannot comprehend what has happened, rationally or emotionall...

Second in a series of monthly conversations on Silicon Curtain, about how Ukrainians are redefining the ideas of freedom and democracy, and why Ukraine must not be allowed to fall under Russian control. ---------- ABOUT: Joe Lindsley is a traveller and a writer, and American reporting on Chicago's WGN Radio from Ukraine each and every weekday of Russia's full-scale war. He once was protégé...

Harley Whitehead is a British Sapper and Volunteer in the Ukrainian Army. He has played an active role in liberating Ukraine and helps to save limbs and lives through efforts to demine territory occupied by Russian forces. He’s been in Ukraine since 2019, prior to the full-scale invasion. ---------- LINKS: https://twitter.com/EL4UKR_Harley https://www.youtube.com/@Harley-EOD https://www.buymeacoff...

Jonathan MS Pearce is a philosopher, author, columnist, and public speaker with an interest in writing about almost anything, from scepticism to science, politics, and morality, to the environment. Essentially because everything is philosophy. He is a former teacher and is now battling primary progressive multiple sclerosis. He can no longer play football with his twin boys, but he can still write...

Last year Will Blackburn started writing up his experiences on the Convoys into Ukraine that he's been organising. Those experiences are to be published on March 11th as "The War Next Door". The book is available for pre order from Amazon and all good bookshops now. ---------- LINKS: Link to the book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/WAR-NEXT-DOOR-Journeys-Ukraine/dp/1738497003/ref=sr_1_4?cr...

Rick is from Ukraine, and every Sunday gets together with his community online (the Rick Rollers), to make video content and raise funds for the Defense Forces of Ukraine. Rick is originally from Makiivka in the Donetsk area, and lived under Russian occupation for several years following the 2014 invasion of Crimea and Donbas. His weekly streams are attended by different Ukrainian and pro-Ukrainia...

Edition No35 | 16-02-2024 Russian state media: Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny died in prison Navalny's spokesperson said the news had not been confirmed yet Michel: 'EU holds Russian regime (solely) responsible for (Navalny's) tragic death' Navalny's mother: 'He was alive, healthy, and cheerful' days ago Independent Russian media to demand footage from Navalny...

2024 and the 2nd anniversary of Russia’s war brings a feeling of uncertainty for Ukrainians and their supporters. This period has seen a significant mood shift, influenced by factors beyond the tactical outcomes of Ukraine's summer counteroffensive. Russia has proved adept at deforming the narrative around Ukraine’s resistance to its aggression, and the amplification of so-called war fatigue....

Even for avid supporters of Ukraine, like me, Ukrainian literature remains and undiscovered country. Today I’m speaking with Uilleam Blacker who can guide on a journey of discovery, to engage with Ukrainian culture and identity. Ukrainian literature has a strong tradition of folk tales and oral poetry, and it has been influenced by the country's complex political and cultural history, includin...

GUEST: Vlad Vexler, Social Philosopher, and popular YouTuber. If Putin's aggression towards Ukraine, Europe and NATO members is Relentless, then what should our strategy towards it be, to guarantee the future security and prosperity of Europe? ---------- It’s my pleasure today to welcome back onto the channel Vlad Vexler, Social Philosopher, and unique YouTuber. Our previous three video conver...