Silicon Curtain

Dr Nicholas Wright, MRCP, PhD is a neuroscientist who researches the brain, technology and security at University College London, Georgetown University, and the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington DC, where he also advises the Pentagon Joint Staff. Nicholas worked as a neurology doctor in London and Oxford, and has published numerous academic papers, which have been covered by the BBC and New York Times. He has appeared on CNN and the BBC, and regularly contributes to outlets like Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, the Atlantic, and Slate. ----------LINKS:https://www.intelligentbiology.co.uk/https://www.csis.org/people/nicholas-wrighthttps://inss.ndu.edu/Media/Biographies/Article-View/Article/4286119/nicholas-wright/https://x.com/nicholasdwrighthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-d-wright-bba3a065/ https://www.amazon.co.uk/Warhead-How-Brain-Shapes-War/dp/1035013983/ref=sr_1_2? ----------Partner on this video: KYIV OF MINE Watch the trailer now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arJUcE1rxY0'Kyiv of Mine' is a documentary series about Ukraine’s beautiful capital, Kyiv. The film production began in 2018, and much has changed since then. It is now 2025, and this story is far from over.https://www.youtube.com/@UCz6UbVKfqutH-N7WXnC5Ykg https://www.kyivofmine.com/#theproject----------DESCRIPTION:----------CHAPTERS:----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon Curtainhttps://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur events of the first half of the year in Lviv, Kyiv and Odesa were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run a minimum of 12 events in 2025, and potentially many more. Any support you can provide for the fundraising campaign would be gratefully appreciated. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasWe need to scale up our support for Ukraine, and these events are designed to have a major impact. Your support in making it happen is greatly appreciated. All events will be recorded professionally and published for free on the Silicon Curtain channel. Where possible, we will also live-stream events.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND:Save Ukrainehttps://www.saveukraineua.org/Superhumans - Hospital for war traumashttps://superhumans.com/en/UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukrainehttps://unbroken.org.ua/Come Back Alivehttps://savelife.in.ua/en/-----------

Ilya Ponomarev is a Russian-Ukrainian politician who was a member of the Russian State Duma from 2007 to 2016. After the 2022 Russian invasion, Ponomarev joined Ukraine's Territorial Defence Forces, and categorically denounced the invasion. While a member of the Russian State Duma, he was the only deputy not to vote in favour of the Russian gay propaganda law and to vote against Russia's annexation of Crimea in March 2014. He is now in exile in Ukraine and is a spokesman with insurgent Russian forces (National Republican Army) fighting on the side of Ukraine. ----------LINKS:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilya_Ponomarev https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002113qhttps://www.fpri.org/contributor/ilya-ponomarev/BOOKS:Does Putin Have to Die? The Story of How Russia Becomes a Democracy after Losing to Ukraine (Hardcover – 19 Jan. 2023)ARTICLES: https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2024/01/19/ilya-ponomaryov-we-have-to-capture-the-kremlin-there-is-no-other-way-a83772 ----------David DeBatto is host of the ‘No Delusion Zone’ podcast @NoDelusionZone is a retired U.S. Army Counterintelligence Special Agent, a geopolitical analyst, writer, and podcaster. David is an Iraq war veteran who served as Team Leader of a Tactical Human Intelligence Team (THT) in operations within Iraq and is also a former police officer. David is considered too conservative for the progressive left and too independent minded for the radical right and seeks to challenge political dogma and the naked self-interest of politicians. ----------LINKS:@NoDelusionZone https://www.protectingtherepublic.com/podcasthttps://x.com/ddebattohttps://www.kyivpost.com/authors/743----------This is super important. There are so many Battalions in Ukraine, fighting to defend our freedoms, but lack basics such as vehicles. These are destroyed on a regular basis, and lack of transport is costs lives, and Ukrainian territory. Once again Silicon Curtain has teamed up with Car4Ukraine and a group of wonderful creators to provide much-needed assistance: https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/autumn-harvest-silicon-curtainAutumn Harvest: Silicon Curtain (Goal€22,000)We'll be supporting troops in Pokrovsk, Kharkiv, and other regions where the trucks are needed the most. 93rd Brigade "Kholodnyi Yar", Black Raven Unmanned Systems Battalionhttps://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/autumn-harvest-silicon-curtain----------SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon Curtainhttps://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur events of the first half of the year in Lviv, Kyiv and Odesa were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run a minimum of 12 events in 2025, and potentially many more. Any support you can provide for the fundraising campaign would be gratefully appreciated. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND:Save Ukrainehttps://www.saveukraineua.org/Superhumans - Hospital for war traumashttps://superhumans.com/en/UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukrainehttps://unbroken.org.ua/Come Back Alivehttps://savelife.in.ua/en/Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchenhttps://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraineUNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyyhttps://u24.gov.ua/Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundationhttps://prytulafoundation.orgNGO “Herojam Slava”https://heroiamslava.org/kharpp - Reconstruction project supporting communities in Kharkiv and Przemyślhttps://kharpp.com/NOR DOG Animal Rescuehttps://www.nor-dog.org/home/----------

Glenn Carle is an American writer and former intelligence officer. He is the author of The Interrogator: An Education (2011), which describes his involvement in the interrogation of a man at the time believed to be one of the top members of al-Qa'ida. Johns Hopkins Magazine has found The Interrogator to be "unusually candid in its portrayal of the CIA's internal workings—and the toll the agency's moral grey zones take on its operatives".Glenn spent 20 years in clandestine field operations with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Carle retired as Deputy National Intelligence Officer for Transnational Threats from the National Intelligence Council. Carle has been critical of President Donald Trump, particularly after Trump began to disparage American intelligence agencies' assessment of Russian influence over the 2016 presidential election. He told Newsweek, in an article dated December 21, 2017, that he believed that President Donald Trump was "actually working directly for the Russians."Among other roles, Glenn is a Columnist for Newsweek Japan, providing commentary and analysis of international relations, Geo-strategic, and US political issues, and foreign policy and intelligence issues.----------LINKS:https://glenncarle.com/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_Carlehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/glenn-carle-2031706/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0134b2dhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Interrogator-An-Education/dp/B005UVQIAU----------Partner on this video: KYIV OF MINE Watch the trailer now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arJUcE1rxY0'Kyiv of Mine' is a documentary series about Ukraine’s beautiful capital, Kyiv. The film production began in 2018, and much has changed since then. It is now 2025, and this story is far from over.https://www.youtube.com/@UCz6UbVKfqutH-N7WXnC5Ykg https://www.kyivofmine.com/#theprojectKyiv of Mine is fast paced, beautifully filmed, humorous, fun, insightful, heartbreaking, moving, hopeful. The very antithesis in fact of a doom-laden and worthy wartime documentary. This is a work that is extraordinarily uplifting. My friend Operator Starsky says the film is “Made with so much love. The film series will make you laugh and cry.” ----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------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 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----------

2025-10-29 | Silicon Wafers 043 | Coup Rumours in Moscow: Cracks in the regime, signalling for purges, or dreamt up for clickbait performance in the fevered imaginations of commentators? Coup rumours swirl again in Moscow. Is it just Telegram fever—and wishful think on the part of the dissident opposition — or is the sanctions shockwave finally prying open rifts among Russia’s elites? We’ll cut through the noise: What the new US–EU energy sanctions actually do, where the elite money is moving, what arrests and asset grabs tell us, and how the Kremlin’s war narrative around Pokrovsk collides with facts. ----------Partner on this video: KYIV OF MINE Watch the trailer now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arJUcE1rxY0'Kyiv of Mine' is a documentary series about Ukraine’s beautiful capital, Kyiv. The film production began in 2018, and much has changed since then. It is now 2025, and this story is far from over.https://www.youtube.com/@UCz6UbVKfqutH-N7WXnC5Ykg https://www.kyivofmine.com/#theprojectKyiv of Mine is fast paced, beautifully filmed, humorous, fun, insightful, heartbreaking, moving, hopeful. The very antithesis in fact of a doom-laden and worthy wartime documentary. This is a work that is extraordinarily uplifting. My friend Operator Starsky says the film is “Made with so much love. The film series will make you laugh and cry.” ----------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 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----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------

GUEST: Vlad Vexler, Social Philosopher, and popular YouTuber. It’s my pleasure today to welcome back onto the channel Vlad Vexler, Social Philosopher, and unique YouTuber. Our previous three video conversations proved to be extremely popular, and a lot has happened since we last spoke. Please do check out Vlad’s channel on YouTube, as it has a collection of the most thought-provoking and insightful videos on the Russian mindset and the roots of this war.----------LINKS:https://www.youtube.com/@UC6-33VO9eerq9MXFaivi0gg https://www.youtube.com/@UCn7XHZiW6EUgSuxItybLLMg ----------Partner on this video: KYIV OF MINE Watch the trailer now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arJUcE1rxY0'Kyiv of Mine' is a documentary series about Ukraine’s beautiful capital, Kyiv. The film production began in 2018, and much has changed since then. It is now 2025, and this story is far from over.https://www.youtube.com/@UCz6UbVKfqutH-N7WXnC5Ykg https://www.kyivofmine.com/#theprojectKyiv of Mine is fast paced, beautifully filmed, humorous, fun, insightful, heartbreaking, moving, hopeful. The very antithesis in fact of a doom-laden and worthy wartime documentary. This is a work that is extraordinarily uplifting. My friend Operator Starsky says the film is “Made with so much love. The film series will make you laugh and cry.” ----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------DESCRIPTION:Unveiling the Post-Truth Era: Insights with Vlad VexlerIn this compelling episode, host John welcomes back Vlad Vexler, a respected thinker and commentator, for an in-depth discussion on the current geopolitical landscape and the societal impacts of post-truth politics. They explore the profound transformations happening globally, comparing the political crises in the West and Russia, and delving into the ideologies behind Trumpism and Putinism. The dialogue covers the erosion of truth in politics, the socio-economic factors driving these changes, and the importance of maintaining democratic values. They also touch upon the challenges faced by the Russian opposition and the broader implications for global democracy. This insightful conversation sheds light on navigating the post-truth era and underscores the need for civic engagement and responsible politics to safeguard democratic institutions.----------CHAPTERS:00:48 Historical Context and Current Events03:10 The Crisis of Truth and Trust08:06 Social Forces and Political Fragmentation13:32 The Russian Influence and Global Convergence29:08 The Future of Putinism and Trumpism37:23 Russia's Imperial Dilemma45:19 The Role of the Russian Opposition51:56 The Importance of Constructive Political Engagement56:39 Conclusion and Personal Recommendations----------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 events of the first half of the year in Lviv, Kyiv and Odesa were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run a minimum of 12 events in 2025, and potentially many more. Any support you can provide for the fundraising campaign would be gratefully appreciated. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------

2025-10-27 | Silicon Wafers 042 | DAILY UPDATES | Drones over Moscow, in mass, seem to be doing nothing to ease Putin’s natural paranoia as autocrat of Russia, quite the reverse. In this episode we look at the targets of Ukraine’s sanction, Moscow, Ryazan and other nodes within Putin’s military machine. We try to separate lies from truth, propaganda myths and rumours from reality in relation to Pokrovsk and the two-year effort by Russian rabble troops to occupy the Ukrainian fortress city. We decode the “Coalition of the Willing” decisions; and explain why Kremlin chatter about a peace deal being “near” is classic weaponised diplomacy. Plus: Lithuania says it will shoot down Belarus’s smuggler balloons — the hybrid war goes airborne over Europe.----------Partner on this video: KYIV OF MINE Watch the trailer now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arJUcE1rxY0'Kyiv of Mine' is a documentary series about Ukraine’s beautiful capital, Kyiv. The film production began in 2018, and much has changed since then. It is now 2025, and this story is far from over.https://www.youtube.com/@UCz6UbVKfqutH-N7WXnC5Ykg https://www.kyivofmine.com/#theprojectKyiv of Mine is fast paced, beautifully filmed, humorous, fun, insightful, heartbreaking, moving, hopeful. The very antithesis in fact of a doom-laden and worthy wartime documentary. This is a work that is extraordinarily uplifting. My friend Operator Starsky says the film is “Made with so much love. The film series will make you laugh and cry.” ----------SOURCES: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-says-it-destroyed-193-ukrainian-drones-2025-10-27/https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russian-drone-attack-kyiv-kills-three-2025-10-26/https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russian-drone-attack-kyiv-kills-three-2025-10-26/https://www.reuters.com/world/lithuania-shoot-down-smuggler-balloons-belarus-prime-minister-says-2025-10-27/https://www.reuters.com/world/sending-tomahawk-missiles-ukraine-remains-under-review-says-natos-rutte-2025-10-24/https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-reiterated-previous-ukraine-peace-terms-us-private-communique-sources-say-2025-10-21/https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/russias-fourth-largest-oil-refinery-halts-processing-unit-after-drone-attack-2025-10-24/----------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 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----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------

2025-10-26 | Silicon Wafers 041 | DAILY UPDATES | The hammer is falling on Putin’s regime, swinging against the oil revenues that support the system and the illegal war. The first cracks are showing in Moscow’s façade, as oil is targeted, and the main buyers China and India blink. Putin says that the sanctions are serious but will not affect his regime. He’s lying and immediately dispatched a Kremlin minion and apparent ‘deal maker’ to the US to advocate for lifting the sanctions. See the problem with the logic – please remove these sanctions that are having no effect on us. It simply makes no sense. What else is happening? Russia’s fourth-largest refinery goes dark after a Ukrainian strike. We’ll also look at fresh data on desertions, Russia’s creeping mobilization by stealth, hybrid hits against Europe, and what frontline commanders say about the next phase of drone warfare. ----------Partner on this video: KYIV OF MINE Watch the trailer now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arJUcE1rxY0'Kyiv of Mine' is a documentary series about Ukraine’s beautiful capital, Kyiv. The film production began in 2018, and much has changed since then. It is now 2025, and this story is far from over.https://www.youtube.com/@UCz6UbVKfqutH-N7WXnC5Ykg https://www.kyivofmine.com/#theprojectKyiv of Mine is fast paced, beautifully filmed, humorous, fun, insightful, heartbreaking, moving, hopeful. The very antithesis in fact of a doom-laden and worthy wartime documentary. This is a work that is extraordinarily uplifting. My friend Operator Starsky says the film is “Made with so much love. The film series will make you laugh and cry.” ----------SOURCES: Reuters, “Analysts: ‘Can’t be one and done’ on sanctions,” Oct 22–24, 2025The Guardian / Reuters markets wrap, oil jump then ease, Oct 23–24, 2025Reuters, “Chinese state majors suspend seaborne Russian oil; India to cut,” Oct 23–24, 2025The Guardian, “Putin: sanctions may cause ‘some losses’,” Oct 23, 2025The Moscow Times, “Putin Envoy Visits U.S. After New Sanctions,” Oct 24, 2025; Reuters, Dmitriev appointed special envoy, Feb 23, 2025Kyiv Independent, “Ryazan (4th-largest) refinery suspends operations after attack,” Oct 25, 2025Reuters, “Orenburg gas plant hit — Kazakhstan cuts Karachaganak output,” Oct 20, 2025Reuters graphics, “Inside Ukraine’s refinery strike campaign,” Oct 16, 2025ISW / Critical Threats, Russian Offensive Campaign Assessments, Oct 22–24, 2025Mediazona, “20,662 refusal-to-serve cases by end-May,” Jun 26, 2025----------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 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----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------

Livestream with Jonathan MS Pearce - The shocking slaying of Charlie Kirk has huge implications. Politicization and attempts to weaponize of this tragic event are inevitable. ----------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----------https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/autumn-harvest-silicon-curtainDonate and Receive - Collectable PatchAUTUMN HARVEST TRUCKS 2025. Part of our 2025 patch collection. Everyone who contributes €100 (~$115) or more will be able to receive it.For our Autumn patch, we present the Galician Lion. The rampant lion represents power and intelligence. It has represented Western Ukrainian people since the 1100s. The Ruthenian lion, also known as the Ukrainian lion or Galician lion, was featured on the historic coat of arms of: The Kingdom of Galicia-Volhynia (Ruthenia)1199-1349, The battle flag of the Lviv land in the Battle of Tannenberg, 1410 The Ruthenian Voivodeship (Administration) 1434-1772 and The Western Ukrainian People's Republic 1918-1919. The Ukrainian national liberation movement, 1948----------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----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND:Save Ukrainehttps://www.saveukraineua.org/Superhumans - Hospital for war traumashttps://superhumans.com/en/UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukrainehttps://unbroken.org.ua/Come Back Alivehttps://savelife.in.ua/en/Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchenhttps://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraineUNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyyhttps://u24.gov.ua/Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundationhttps://prytulafoundation.orgNGO “Herojam Slava”https://heroiamslava.org/kharpp - Reconstruction project supporting communities in Kharkiv and Przemyslhttps://kharpp.com/NOR DOG Animal Rescuehttps://www.nor-dog.org/home/-----------

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. ----------Partner on this video: KYIV OF MINE Watch the trailer now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arJUcE1rxY0'Kyiv of Mine' is a documentary series about Ukraine’s beautiful capital, Kyiv. The film production began in 2018, and much has changed since then. It is now 2025, and this story is far from over.https://www.youtube.com/@UCz6UbVKfqutH-N7WXnC5Ykg https://www.kyivofmine.com/#theprojectKyiv of Mine is fast paced, beautifully filmed, humorous, fun, insightful, heartbreaking, moving, hopeful. The very antithesis in fact of a doom-laden and worthy wartime documentary. This is a work that is extraordinarily uplifting. My friend Operator Starsky says the film is “Made with so much love. The film series will make you laugh and cry.” ----------DESCRIPTION: Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges on US Policy, European Security, and Ukraine's FutureIn this insightful discussion with retired Lieutenant General Ben Hodges, we delve into the complexities of current US and European policies regarding Ukraine. We explore Europe's hesitance to fully commit, the impact of mixed signals from the Trump administration, and the implications of lifting limitations on deep strike munitions. Additionally, Hodges sheds light on internal power struggles within the US administration and the potential consequences of diminished legal oversight within the military. The conversation also touches on the resilience of the Russian public and military, and the existential challenges facing European democracies. The episode concludes with a recommendation to watch 'Kyiv of Mine,' a documentary series highlighting life in Ukraine's capital before and during the war.----------CHAPTERS:00:00 Introduction and Setting the Scene00:22 Current State of US and European Policies02:10 Military Strategies and Decisions04:12 Internal Struggles and Legal Concerns08:53 Russian Public Sentiment and Military Morale11:43 The Broader Implications for Democracy13:42 Conclusion and Final Thoughts----------LINKS:https://twitter.com/general_benhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Hodges https://cepa.org/author/ben-hodges/ https://warsawsecurityforum.org/speaker/hodges-ben-lt-gen/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-hodges-1674b1172/ ----------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----------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/-----------

2025-10-24 | Silicon Wafers 040 | DAILY UPDATES | Is the Kremlin finally feeling real bite from Sanctions? Are oil sanctions by US and UK, and pressure on the shadow tankers, helping the first cracks emerge in Putin’s war economy?Washington, London and Brussels just fired a coordinated broadside at the Kremlin’s cash machine. Russia calls it “unfriendly.” China bristles. India flinches. Europe quietly tightens the noose on the shadow fleet. Meanwhile, small but telling acts of dissent flicker in St. Petersburg, and fresh reporting shows how the Russian “elite” keep looting their own house even as it burns. At last measures are being taken which may hasten Putin’s demise. The sanctions blitz finally hits the bullseyeThe big move: the United States sanctioned Rosneft and Lukoil, Russia’s two largest oil companies—the beating heart of Putin’s war budget and war machine financing. This is the first Ukraine-related Russia sanctions package of Trump’s second term—and according to some commentators, it’s a sledgehammer. As Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent put it: “Given President Putin’s refusal to end this senseless war, Treasury is sanctioning Russia’s two largest oil companies that fund the Kremlin’s war machine.” (Reuters, Oct 22, 2025)----------Partner on this video: KYIV OF MINE Watch the trailer now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arJUcE1rxY0'Kyiv of Mine' is a documentary series about Ukraine’s beautiful capital, Kyiv. The film production began in 2018, and much has changed since then. It is now 2025, and this story is far from over.https://www.youtube.com/@UCz6UbVKfqutH-N7WXnC5Ykg https://www.kyivofmine.com/#theprojectKyiv of Mine is fast paced, beautifully filmed, humorous, fun, insightful, heartbreaking, moving, hopeful. The very antithesis in fact of a doom-laden and worthy wartime documentary. This is a work that is extraordinarily uplifting. My friend Operator Starsky says the film is “Made with so much love. The film series will make you laugh and cry.” ----------SOURCES: US sanctions Rosneft & Lukoil (with quotes and analyst reaction) — Reuters, Oct 22, 2025China state oil majors suspend Russian oil purchases — Reuters, Oct 23, 2025India poised to sharply cut Russian oil imports; Reliance steps back — Reuters, Oct 23, 2025Putin reaction (“unfriendly act”) & EU sanctions — Guardian live, Oct 23, 2025Putin warns; says economy will weather sanctions — Reuters, Oct 23, 2025UK sanctions Rosneft, Lukoil, 44 shadow-fleet ships; quotes from Reeves/Cooper — UK Government press release, Oct 15, 2025EU 19th package: 117 more vessels listed (557 total), reinsurance ban, LNG measures; Kaja Kallas quote — Council of the EU, Oct 23, 2025EU plans maritime declaration on shadow fleet inspections — Reuters, Oct 19, 2025Denmark tightens Skagen checks on “old and worn-out” tankers — Maritime Executive & TradeWinds, Oct 6–8, 2025IMF downgrades Russia 2025 GDP growth to 0.6% — Reuters, Oct 14, 2025Nabiullina flags gasoline spike & inflation expectations — Reuters, Oct 9, 2025G7 could shave $80bn/yr off Russia oil income with enforcement — Reuters Breakingviews, Oct 13, 2025----------SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon Curtainhttps://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur events of the first half of the year in Lviv, Kyiv and Odesa were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run a minimum of 12 events in 2025, and potentially many more. Any support you can provide for the fundraising campaign would be gratefully appreciated. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------