

Silicon Curtain
Jonathan Fink
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A podcast about propaganda, digital disinformation, politics, corruption, hybrid warfare, weaponised conspiracy theories, social echo chambers and digital dystopias.
1984, Authoritarian, Autocracy, Autocrat, Big Brother, Brainwashing, Cold war, Cold war propaganda, Communism, Conflict, Conspiracy theories, Control, Cults, Cyber warfare, Deception, Dictator, Dictatorship, Digital dystopia, Digital media, Disinformation, Echo chambers, Economic sanctions, Fascist, Fake news, Foreign correspondents, Foreign policy, Fossil fuel sanctions, George Orwell, History, Hybrid warfare, Industrial disinfo
A podcast about propaganda, digital disinformation, politics, corruption, hybrid warfare, weaponised conspiracy theories, social echo chambers and digital dystopias.
1984, Authoritarian, Autocracy, Autocrat, Big Brother, Brainwashing, Cold war, Cold war propaganda, Communism, Conflict, Conspiracy theories, Control, Cults, Cyber warfare, Deception, Dictator, Dictatorship, Digital dystopia, Digital media, Disinformation, Echo chambers, Economic sanctions, Fascist, Fake news, Foreign correspondents, Foreign policy, Fossil fuel sanctions, George Orwell, History, Hybrid warfare, Industrial disinfo
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 31, 2023 • 1h 8min
241. Anna Danylchuk - Ukrainians are Fighting for the Right to Even Exist in their Country as Ukrainians.
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
videos, in a clear and honest way.
----------
Although this is my fourth conversation with Anna on my channel, it’s
the first in what I hope will be a series of monthly conversations with
influential YouTubers and experts on Ukraine and Russia.
----------

Aug 29, 2023 • 1h
239. Olha Mukha - Put Ukrainians first: Ukraine is not Just a Footnote to the Imperial History of Russian
100 years ago, nobody cared about Ukraine – or its disappearance as an
independent state – swallowed up as the newly born tyranny of the USSR
flexed its imperial muscles; but that has now changed. Putin’s Russian
World revanchism and violence have accelerated the evolution of
Ukrainian identity and increased the pressure for social, political, and
economic change. Perhaps the most perverse Russian invasion narrative,
is that Ukraine is not old, and is not distinct from Russia in any case.
But Ukraine is not just a footnote to Russian imperial history. As a
nation, it is old, different, and diverse. And at the end of this war,
Ukraine could prove to be the rock upon which the decrepit, brittle hull
of the Russian imperial ship tears itself apart and sinks from history.
----------
Olha Mukha is a culturologist, academic editor and compiler, project
manager and curator in the sphere of culture and education, civil rights
and freedoms activist. She was born on 31 March 1981 in Lviv.
Olha has been the curator of congresses, committees and new centres of
PEN International (London, UK) since 2018. Chairwoman of the Lviv:
UNESCO’s City of Literature Office (2014–2017), co-founder of Ukrainian
Association of Culturologists in Lviv (Program Director since 2019) and
Academic Religious Studies Workshop (since 2004). Member of the British
Society of Aesthetics.
She taught at the Franko National University (2003–2011) in Lviv and
Drahomanov National Pedagogical University (2011–2018) in Kyiv. Since
2008 she has been curator of a number of academic and cultural projects
(i.a.,Religious Scholar’s Handbook, Human in Contemporary World,
Narrative War, Tolerance in Theory and Practice, Kitsch Angels, History
of Ukrainian Culture in Achievements and Victories, Basia in the City of
Literature multiplication series, and others). She is expert counseling
at Territory of Terror Museum (since 2017) and member of editorial
board at Religious Essays Journal.
Olha Mukha is the author of over 80 academic publications, numerous
articles and columns. Compiler and co-author of the illustrated literary
encyclopedic guide "Lviv: An Inspirational City. Literature" (Old Lion
Publishing, 2017).
----------
LINKS:
https://pen.org.ua/en/members/muha-olga
https://www.linkedin.com/in/olha-mukha-67a443211/
https://twitter.com/OlhaMukha
https://twitter.com/pen_int
----------

Aug 29, 2023 • 41min
240. Keir Giles - Why we should not Fear that Russian Defeat would be more Dangerous than Russian Victory
Calls to treat as legitimate the ‘security concerns’ raised by Russia,
and to account for these in a future settlement of the war in Ukraine,
disregard the fact that Moscow’s requirements are fundamentally
incompatible with European security. Proponents of a settlement in the
war on Ukraine often put forward the idea that Russian ‘security
concerns’ must be taken into account in any such settlement, but also in
broader revisions to the European security system.
These proposals echo the Russian information campaign over the past 30
years to persuade European publics that there can be ‘no security in
Europe without Russia’. They provide false support to the argument that
Western security policy after the collapse of the USSR unnecessarily
encroached on core Russian interests by expanding NATO and forcing
Moscow to militarize its foreign policy. In this telling, Russia was
merely challenging what it viewed as an unjust European security order.
----------
SPEAKER:
Keir Giles is a senior consulting fellow with the Russia and Eurasia
Programme at Chatham House. Keir has supported Chatham House in its
Russia-focused research since 2013 and previously worked with the BBC
Monitoring Service and the UK Defence Academy, where he wrote and
advised on Russian military, defence, and security issues – including
human factors influencing Russian security policy, Russian strategy and
doctrine, the Russian view of cyber and information security, and
Russia’s relations with its neighbours in northern Europe.
Keir is the author of multiple publications explaining the Russian
approach to warfare. These include NATO’s Handbook of Russian
Information Warfare; and Moscow Rules: What Drives Russia to Confront
the West. He examined consistent patterns of Western success and failure
in deterring Russian aggression. His most recent book is Russia’s War
on Everybody: And What it Means for You, which describes the human
impact of Russia’s campaigns to acquire power and influence around the
world.
----------
BOOKS:
Russia's War on Everybody: And What it Means for You (2022)
Moscow Rules: What Drives Russia to Confront the West (2019)
The Turning Point for Russian Foreign Policy (2017)
The State of the NATO-Russia Reset (2011)
Potential Challenges to Public Order and Social Stability in the Russian
Federation (2011)
----------
LINKS:
https://twitter.com/KeirGiles
https://www.chathamhouse.org/2023/06/how-end-russias-war-ukraine
----------

Aug 26, 2023 • 11min
222. Andriy Sadovyi - Lviv is now a Leading Centre of Ukrainian Cultural and Economic Life and Resistance
Andriy Ivanovych Sadovyi is a Ukrainian politician, and Mayor of Lviv.
Lviv is a vibrant, highly cultured, and tech-savvy city, the
administrative centre of the Lviv Oblast of western Ukraine. Andrei was
prominent in the revolutions that transformed Ukraine and is Leader of
the Self Reliance party.
---------
LINKS:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andriy_Sadovyi
https://w4ua.com/?speaker=andriy-sadovyi
https://twitter.com/AndriySadovyi
Unbroken - rehabilitation centre, Lviv, Ukraine
https://unbroken.org.ua/
---------

Aug 26, 2023 • 45min
238. Konstantin Samoilov - Inside RussianEconomy - Impact of Sanctions - Collapse of Rouble - Instability
Welcome to the second of our monthly conversations 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.
----------

Aug 25, 2023 • 27min
Silicon Bites - #16 - First Among Barbarians - only the Brutal, Sly and Vindictive Survive this Game
Edition No16 | 24-08-2023
Yevgeny Prigozhin - a bandit's death that heralds a new age of turmoil and uncertainty in Russia
~~~~~
NEWS LINKS:
The Moscow Times
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/
Kyiv Independent
https://kyivindependent.com/
The Economist
https://www.economist.com/ukraine-crisis
The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/world/europe-news
Russian Media Monitor
https://twitter.com/JuliaDavisNews
~~~~~
USEFUL LINKS:
Vatnik Soup
https://twitter.com/P_Kallioniemi
http://www.medbat.org.ua/en/
Real World News
https://kyivindependent.com/
https://www.kyivpost.com/
https://english.nv.ua/
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/
https://meduza.io/en
https://meduza.io/
https://novayagazeta.eu/
https://www.newsweek.com/topic/russia...
Analysis
https://www.ft.com/russia
https://www.economist.com/
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/
https://cepa.org/
https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/
https://www.theatlantic.com/search/?s...
YouTube Channels
/ @timesradio1
/ @khodorkovskyru
/ @popularpolitics
/ @macknack
/ @plushev
/ @tvrain
/ @fake_news
/ @feyginlive
~~~~~

Aug 23, 2023 • 52min
236. Bogdan Khorzhenko - Ukrainians came Together to Fight for Freedom from Across the Political Spectrum
One of the unique aspects of the Ukraine war, and indeed the Maidan
revolution that preceded Russia’s invasion of Crimea, is that Ukrainians
came together to fight for freedom – a wide range of people from across
the political spectrum, and many who were new to politics. Although
they may have held widely different views on how society should be
organised, they nonetheless coalesce around higher values, like freedom,
justice, and transparency, and fought together to defend them.
----------
Bogdan Khorzhenko serves with the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and has done
various tours of duty since the Russian invasion of Crimea nd Donbas in
2014. He is Deputy Commander of the 1st mechanized battalion of the
separate assault brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
----------
LINKS:
My instagram -
https://instagram.com/bohdan_korzhenko?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
----------

Aug 22, 2023 • 57min
228. Live in Lviv - Panel 1 - Volunteer Society - with speakers Johnny FD, Noel Tock, and Brooks Newmark.
Silicon Curtain Panel Discussion - Live in Lviv, Ukraine on 10th August
2023
PANEL 1 (11:00-12:00) – Volunteer Society
----------
SPEAKERS:
Johnny FD - YouTuber and Digital Nomad
Noel Tock - Animal Rescuer at NOR DOG
Brooks Newmark - Founder of Angels for Ukraine
----------
Volunteering on a massive scale proved what is possible to achieve.
Ukrainian volunteers play at integral role in resisting agains the
Russian aggression and saving lives.
#JohnnyFD #NoelTock #BrooksNewmark #culture #lviv #victory #ukraine #ukrainewar #russia #zelensky #putin #propaganda #war #disinformation
----------
TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND:
Superhumans - Hospital for war traumas
https://superhumans.com/en/
UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukraine
https://unbroken.org.ua/
Come Back Alive
https://savelife.in.ua/en/
Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchen
https://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraine
UNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyy
https://u24.gov.ua/
Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation
https://prytulafoundation.org
NOR DOG Animal Rescue - Our mission is to help the animals suffering from the war in Ukraine.
https://www.youtube.com/@nordoganimalrescue3564
----------
WATCH NEXT:
Johnny FD
https://youtu.be/9KgJAsIWe5E
Brooks Newmark
https://youtu.be/J1BnzTdF3Ts
----------

Aug 22, 2023 • 1h 10min
229. Live in Lviv - Panel 2 - Reporting in Wartime - with Alina Poliakova, John Sweeney, Julia and Taras.
Silicon Curtain Panel Discussion - Live in Lviv, Ukraine on 10th August
2023
PANEL 2 (12:30-13:30) – Reporting the war
----------
SPEAKERS:
Alina Poliakova - Managing Editor of the English version of "Ukrainska
Pravda"
John Sweeney - Investigative journalist and writer
Julia Tymoshenko - Editor in Chief at Saint Javelin
Taras Yatsenko - Director of "Tvoe Misto" portal
----------
Challenges of reporting on the conflict and countering Russian
disinformation. Western media bias, lack of local knowledge and
weaponised social media information.
#AlinaPoliakova #JohnSweeney #JuliaTymoshenko #TarasYatsenko #reporting #lviv #victory #ukraine #ukrainewar #russia #zelensky #putin #propaganda #war #disinformation
----------
TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND:
Superhumans - Hospital for war traumas
https://superhumans.com/en/
UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukraine
https://unbroken.org.ua/
Come Back Alive
https://savelife.in.ua/en/
Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchen
https://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraine
UNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyy
https://u24.gov.ua/
Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation
https://prytulafoundation.org
NOR DOG Animal Rescue - Our mission is to help the animals suffering from the war in Ukraine.
https://www.youtube.com/@nordoganimalrescue3564
----------
WATCH NEXT:
Alina Poliakova
https://youtu.be/YmMohd59VLI
John Sweeney
https://youtu.be/ElS2J4DHbXE
Julia Tymoshenko
https://youtu.be/mLqB7ShA2l4
Silicon Curtain Panel Discussion - Live in Lviv, Ukraine on 10th August
2023
PANEL 2 (12:30-13:30) – Reporting the war
----------
SPEAKERS:
Alina Poliakova - Managing Editor of the English version of "Ukrainska
Pravda"
John Sweeney - Investigative journalist and writer
Julia Tymoshenko - Editor in Chief at Saint Javelin
Taras Yatsenko - Director of "Tvoe Misto" portal
----------
Challenges of reporting on the conflict and countering Russian
disinformation. Western media bias, lack of local knowledge and
weaponised social media information.
#AlinaPoliakova #JohnSweeney #JuliaTymoshenko #TarasYatsenko #reporting #lviv #victory #ukraine #ukrainewar #russia #zelensky #putin #propaganda #war #disinformation
----------
TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND:
Superhumans - Hospital for war traumas
https://superhumans.com/en/
UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukraine
https://unbroken.org.ua/
Come Back Alive
https://savelife.in.ua/en/
Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchen
https://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraine
UNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyy
https://u24.gov.ua/
Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation
https://prytulafoundation.org
NOR DOG Animal Rescue - Our mission is to help the animals suffering from the war in Ukraine.
https://www.youtube.com/@nordoganimalrescue3564
----------
WATCH NEXT:
Alina Poliakova
https://youtu.be/YmMohd59VLI
John Sweeney
https://youtu.be/ElS2J4DHbXE
Julia Tymoshenko
https://youtu.be/mLqB7ShA2l4

Aug 21, 2023 • 53min
237. Steven Moore - Republicans are Divided over Military Aid for Ukraine, says the GOP’s "Man in Kyiv".
Republicans are divided over aid for Ukraine. There are voices on both
extremes of the political spectrum in the US that are calling for aid to
Ukraine to be curtailed or even stopped. In fact, there are divisions
right across the Western alliance supporting Ukraine about the scale and
speed of military supplies and capabilities that need to be delivered.
Steven Moore has been described as the guy working behind the scenes to
keep Republicans on board, so is Steven Moore the GOP’s Man in Kyiv, and
what is his message for Ukraine sceptics in the US political
establishment?
--------
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. Steven is a non-profit professional and public opinion researcher
with experience in more than a dozen countries, including Iraq, East
Timor, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.


