Meet Ukraine’s ‘Geeks of War’
Close All Tabs
NAFO: Meme Diplomacy and Info Counterattacks
Erica explains NAFO's Shiba Inu avatars and how mockery and memes counter Russian propaganda online.
The Ukraine-Russia war has been called the most technologically advanced war in history. Ukrainian citizens receive notifications about incoming missile and drone attacks through apps on their phones; remote-controlled drones swarm the front lines; and volunteer cyberwarfare units target Russian digital infrastructure. It’s all part of what some have dubbed Ukraine’s “Geeks of War.”
In this episode, investigative reporter Erica Hellerstein takes us to the digital front line. On a recent trip to Ukraine, she met a husband-and-wife duo running a DIY nonprofit that supplies tech to defense forces, toured the recently-bombed headquarters of one of the country’s biggest tech companies, and explored how a swarm of online accounts with Shiba Inu avatars is countering Russian propaganda.
Throughout, she looks at how Ukraine’s culture of tech innovation — and its surprising ties to Silicon Valley — are fueling the country’s resistance through an army of engineers, coders, hackers, and tinkerers.
Guest:
Erica Hellerstein, investigative journalist and feature writer
Further Reading/Listening:
Dexter Filkins on Drones and the Future of Warfare — Adam Howard, WNYC
Lessons From the World’s First Full-Scale Cyberwar — David Kirichenko, Kyiv Post
Russia Takes Its Ukraine Information War Into Video Games — Steven Lee Myers and Kellen Browning, The New York Times
Why Ukraine remains the world's most innovative war machine — Ibrahim Naber, Politico
A Thousand Snipers in the Sky: The New War in Ukraine — Marc Santora, Lara Jakes, Andrew E. Kramer, Marco Hernandez and Liubov Sholudko, The New York Times
Read the transcript here
Want to give us feedback on the series? Shoot us an email at CloseAllTabs@KQED.org
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Credits:
Close All Tabs is hosted by Morgan Sung. This episode was reported by Erica Hellerstein. It was produced by Maya Cueva and edited by Chris Egusa and Jen Chien. Chris Hambrick is our editor. Original music, including our theme song, by Chris Egusa. Additional music from APM. Audio engineering by Brendan Willard. Audience engagement support from Maha Sanad. Jen Chien is our Director of Podcasts. Katie Sprenger is our Podcast Operations Manager. Ethan Toven-Lindsey is our Editor in Chief.
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