Silicon Curtain

2025-11-20 | Silicon Wafers 061 | When is peace not peace? What it’s proposed by the Kremlin, as a pretext for more war, and a strategy to attempt to divide Ukraine from its allies and partners. This is what we are seeing now – a ‘brand-new’ surrender plan cooked up in the Kremlin, which in fact contains nothing new, and has no chance of success. Shame on the media that are hyping this as a new development, with new proposals, which we are expected to take seriously. There’s nothing in it that’s new – it contains the same maximalist demands that Putin’s been making throughout the war, and they are as unrealistic and unacceptable as they always were. We should not take it seriously, because the only serious aspect to this geopolitical farce, is that Ukrainians are still fighting and dying and being slaughtered in their homes and tortured across the occupied territories. The only new aspect to this surrender plan stitched together in secret, and without Ukraine’s involvement by witless Steve Witkoff and Kiril Dmitriev, is that the language and framing are even more gross than before – even more transactional, and ludicrous. The intent to inflict humiliation on Ukraine even more palpable. ----------SOURCES: Axios – “Scoop: U.S. secretly drafting new plan to end Ukraine war” (19 Nov 2025)Reuters – “Ukraine expected to give up land, some arms under US peace plan, sources say” (20 Nov 2025)Reuters – “Kremlin plays down media report of new efforts on Ukraine peace” (19 Nov 2025)Reuters – “White House working with Russia on new Ukraine peace plan, Axios reports” (19 Nov 2025)The Guardian – “US and Russian officials have reportedly drafted 28-point plan to end Ukraine war” (20 Nov 2025)The Moscow Times – coverage of leaked terms including army cuts and weapons limits The Times (UK) – “US pushes Ukraine to halve army in secret peace plan with Kremlin” (20 Nov 2025)Kyiv Independent – “Kyiv alarmed as US pushes Ukraine peace framework aligning with Moscow’s maximalist demands” (19–20 Nov 2025)Kyiv Independent – “Trump envoy Kellogg to depart White House, leaving Ukraine without key US champion in moment of crisis” (20 Nov 2025)Kyiv Post – “Kallas Rejects Any US-Russia Peace Plan That Sidelines Ukraine, Europe” (20 Nov 2025)Kyiv Post – “Witkoff Deleted Tweet Fuels Scramble as West Rejects Alleged Trump Ukraine Plan as ‘Kremlin Fantasy’” (20 Nov 2025)Kyiv Post – “US Peace Plan Would See Russia Keep Donbas in Exchange for ‘Rental Fee,’ Sources Say” (20 Nov 2025)Kyiv Post – Timothy Snyder, “OPINION: How to Negotiate With Russia” (19 Nov 2025)The Economist – “A terrible American-Russian proposal to end the war in Ukraine” (19 Nov 2025) Sky News – “Steve Witkoff: Who is the real estate mogul tasked with brokering peace in Ukraine?” (24 Mar 2025)The Guardian – “Trump and special envoy Witkoff stand to reap rewards from official business” (30 May 2025)Reuters / FT profiles of Kirill Dmitriev and RDIFBiographical notes on Rustem Umerov – Wikipedia.org----------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----------

2025-11-19 | Silicon Wafers 060 | DAILY UPDATES | Yesterday we dipped our toes into the political storm engulfing Zelenskyy’s administration. Today we dive into the eye of the storm. For the first time since the full-scale invasion began, it’s not only Putin’s missiles or Trump’s tantrums that threaten peace in Ukraine, but also what’s happening inside Zelensky’s inner circle. And this threatens to divide Ukraine and create internal animosity in a way that neither Russia nor the US could hope to achieve. The scandal is now inching closer to a man often described as Ukraine’s “other wartime leader”, Andriy Yermak. Rumours of his fall may be premature, but even the fact that there are rumours, and even open calls for him to go, tells you about the intensity of the crisis. “Zelensky’s Top Aide Could Be Sacked Thursday”On Nov. 18, the Kyiv Post reported that President Volodymyr Zelensky “might fire Andriy Yermak, his close confidant and the head of the Presidential Office, as early as Thursday, according to lawmakers.” (Kyiv Post)The story is based on Ukrainska Pravda’s sources inside Zelensky’s own Servant of the People party, who say the president has been canvassing options amid a political crisis triggered by a gigantic corruption scandal in the energy sector. (Kyiv Post)One unnamed lawmaker told Ukrainska Pravda that almost everyone in the faction is pushing the same solution: fire Yermak — or risk the ruling party collapsing under the weight of scandal and public anger. (Kyiv Post)----------SOURCES: Kyiv Post – “Zelensky’s Top Aide Yermak Could Be Sacked Thursday, Lawmaker Claims” (Nov. 18, 2025)Kyiv Independent – “Parliament fires justice, energy ministers implicated in Ukraine's biggest corruption scandal” (Nov. 19, 2025)Kyiv Independent – “Who is Andriy Yermak and can Ukraine’s corruption scandal finally sink him?” (Nov. 19, 2025) Reuters – “Ukraine moves to quell $100 million energy corruption scandal” (Nov. 12, 2025)Washington Post – Andi Hoxhaj, “This threat from within Ukraine is as dangerous as Russian missiles” (Nov. 19, 2025) AP / international coverage on Tymur Mindich and Energoatom bribery scheme OSW – “Operation Midas: the largest corruption scandal within Zelensky’s inner circle” (Nov. 13, 2025)Carnegie Endowment – “The Corruption Scandal Engulfing Ukraine Won’t Die Down Anytime Soon” (Nov. 18, 2025) RFI – “€90m corruption scandal exposes ‘absolute impunity’ in Ukraine’s energy sector”bne IntelliNews – “Ukraine’s Energoatom scandal escalates as Zelenskiy dithers on implementing a strong response”Asia Times – “Ukraine energy scandal imperils Zelensky’s rule and war”Meduza – “They see journalists as pets: How the Ukrainian authorities are treating the media” (background on Yermak and Bankova’s power) Razumkov Centre polls on trust in Zelensky, government and officials Daria Kaleniuk, Vitaliy Shabunin, and other X / social media commentary on Yermak and Operation Midas (X (formerly Twitter))----------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----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------

Fundraiser mentioned in the video: https://www.givesendgo.com/familysupportuaKevin Leach is the main director for Sabre Training Advisory Group, a professional military training non-profit. Their aim is to give Ukrainian defenders the skills to come home alive. Kevin is a Canadian Armed Forces veteran, with a long history of working in Ukraine and in military affairs. He served as a sergeant from 2008-2018, specialising in armoured reconnaissance. ----------LINKS:https://x.com/SabreAdvisory https://www.sabretag.org/donate https://www.instagram.com/sabre_tag/ https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mriyareport/episodes/Kevin-Leach--Sabre-Advisory-Training-on-Key-Elements-of-Training---May-29--2024-e2kavap----------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/----------

2025-11-18 | Silicon Wafers 059 | Kyiv has doubled down on the line: “He’s on a planned trip, not a fugitive”. They are referring to former defence minister Rustem Umerov and the persistent rumours he has “left the country and refuses to return”. The government vehemently claims these rumours spreading like wildfire on social media, are ‘very explicitly’ false. So, is this scandal or psyop? Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation (CPD) has now refuted the story of “Umerov fleeing and refusing to return”, but it’s clear that Russian propaganda has been handed a gift that it won’t let go of easily. The officially sanctioned story is that he is on a scheduled official trip, “working in the United States” and holding meetings “aimed at strengthening international support for Ukraine,” and that he “remains in constant working contact with the state leadership.”----------SOURCES: "The CCD refuted fake news about Umierov’s escape What they say | Censor.NET"https://censor.net/en/news/3585492/the-ccd-refuted-fake-news-about-umierov-s-escape-what-they-say "Umerov to return to Ukraine, probably on Thursday - source | УНН"https://unn.ua/en/news/umerov-to-return-to-ukraine-probably-on-thursday-source "The NSDC officially announced the date of Umerov’s return to Ukraine • ANTIKOR portal"https://antikor.ua/en/amp/articles/803699-snbo_ofitsialjno_nazval_datu_vozvrashchenija_umerova_v_ukrainu "Ukraine seeking exchange of 1,200 prisoners with Russia"https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-seeking-exchange-1200-prisoners-with-russia-2025-11-16/ "Top 7 most brazen facts and episodes from the Mindich case"https://english.nv.ua/nation/midas-case-reveals-corruption-influence-and-private-ties-in-ukraine-s-energy-and-defense-sectors-50561071.html"Umerov denies Mindic's influence in 2025 | Ukrainian News"https://news.liga.net/en/politics/news/the-sapo-reported-mindichs-alleged-influence-on-umerov-the-nsdc-secretary-responded "Corruption in the energy sector - the Midas scandal exposed the influence of Bankova Street and the escape of the main suspect - ZN.ua"https://zn.ua/eng/operation-midas-how-absolute-power-was-built-one-dollar-at-a-time.html "The Secretary of the NSDC of Ukraine is in no hurry to return"https://eadaily.com/en/news/2025/11/16/the-secretary-of-the-nsdc-of-ukraine-is-in-no-hurry-to-return-there-is-a-lot-of-work-on-prisoners----------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----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------

Silicon Bites Ep270 | News Update - Day 1,363 - 2025-11-17 | A railway track in eastern Poland, that you’ve probably never heard of, has been the target of apparent Russia hybrid terror operations. This track would have remained a matter of limited awareness to the world at large, but somebody blew it up. Over the weekend, an explosion ripped through the Warsaw–Lublin line near the village of Mika — a line that doesn’t just carry commuters and freight, but weapons and aid headed to Ukraine’s front. Poland’s prime minister is calling it “an unprecedented act of sabotage”. Investigators say it’s almost certainly the work of “foreign state services”. And if you’re thinking Russia, you are likely not alone.This isn’t a one-off. It follows Russian drone incursions into Polish airspace, arson attacks, cyber-operations, and a steadily escalating hybrid war aimed at the logistics lifeline that keeps Ukraine fighting and Europe secure. Today’s episode is about that shadow war – and what it means when the supply routes to Ukraine get blown apart, even though it’s not Ukrainian territory and infrastructure, and how Russia is launching an unprecedented informational campaign to muddy the waters and try to turn Poles against supporting Ukraine.----------SOURCES: The Guardian – “Poland railway blast was unprecedented act of sabotage, says Donald Tusk” (17 Nov 2025)Reuters – “Poland faced one confirmed, one highly probable railway sabotage act” (17 Nov 2025)AP News – “Polish prime minister says rail line explosion was ‘sabotage’” (17 Nov 2025)The Washington Post – “Rail explosion in Poland was ‘sabotage,’ prime minister says” (17 Nov 2025)Kyiv Independent – “‘Act of sabotage’ — Explosion hits Polish railway track used for Ukraine aid shipments, Warsaw says” (17 Nov 2025)The Guardian (live blog) – “Foreign state services behind Polish rail sabotage, says minister – Europe live” (17 Nov 2025)Sky News – “Railway bombing an ‘unprecedented act of sabotage’, Poland’s PM says” (17 Nov 2025)The Guardian – “Russia accused of trying to hack border security cameras to disrupt Ukraine aid” (21 May 2025)The Washington Post – “Russia recruited operatives online to target weapons crossing Poland” (18 Aug 2023)AP / Reuters / local outlets – coverage of Marywilska 44 arson and attribution to Russian intelligence (May 2025)Al Jazeera, Euronews, Notes from Poland and others on recent arrests and sabotage plots in Poland (Oct 2025)NATO, UN, and media reporting on Russian drone incursions into Polish airspace (Sept 2025)Meduza and Euronews on earlier Russian missile and drone violations of Polish and Baltic airspace.----------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----------

2025-11-17 | Silicon Wafers 058 | DAILY UPDATES | We’re going straight to the heart of Putin’s war machine: fuel. Overnight on 15 November 2025, Ukrainian drones hit one of Russia’s biggest oil refineries in Ryazan, around 200 kilometres south-east of Moscow – and, as Kyiv’s generals quietly noted, that wasn’t the only target. This was part of a coordinated strike package that also hit a Nebo-U radar system in occupied Crimea, a military train near Tokmak, and Russian troop concentrations near the front. (The Kyiv Independent)You may think it’s “just another drone attack.” But it’s also one more turn of the screw in a campaign that is slowly transforming Russia into a petro-state that can’t reliably refine its own petrol. Stikes like the one on Ryazan matters because they are reshaping both the Russian economy and the strategic map of the war.Ukraine’s General Staff put out a terse statement on 15 November, saying: “Ukrainian forces struck an oil refinery in the Russian city of Ryazan and hit several other military targets.” (The Kyiv Independent) Those “other targets” included:- A Nebo-U long-range radar station in occupied Crimea,- A military train near Tokmak in occupied Zaporizhzhia,- And a concentration of Russian personnel near Vovchansk in Kharkiv region. (Ukrinform)----------SOURCES: Kyiv Independent – “Ukraine strikes Ryazan oil refinery, hits multiple other Russian military targets, General Staff says” (15 Nov 2025)Ukrinform – “Ukraine’s Defense Forces strike Ryazan Oil Refinery, military train, several clusters of Russian personnel” (15 Nov 2025)Kyiv Post – “Ukraine Strikes Deep: Ryazan Oil Refinery Ablaze, Nebo-U Radar Destroyed, Echelon Hit” (15 Nov 2025)The Guardian – “Ukraine war briefing: Drones hit Russia’s Ryazan oil refinery” (16 Nov 2025)Reuters – “Ukrainian drones hit big Russian oil refinery at Ryazan, sources say” (24 Jan 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/extras----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------

Olesya Ostrovska-Lyuta is a Ukrainian cultural manager and curator of contemporary art. She is the director of the state enterprise Mystetskyi Arsenal National Art and Culture Museum Complex under the State Management of Affairs. In 2014, she served as the first Deputy Minister of Culture of Ukraine. In 2019, she was awarded the Women in Arts Award. Ostrovska-Lyuta was also a member of numerous professional organisations. Among them are the board of the Soros Center for Contemporary Art (SCCA), the jury of the Kazimir Malevich Artist Award established by the Polish Institute in Ukraine, the jury of the Molodist International Film Festival, the boards of the "I3" award program, and the Dynamic Museum project at the Ukrainian Development Foundation.----------LINKS:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olesya_Ostrovska-Lyutahttps://www.cecartslink.org/participant/olesia-ostrovska-liuta/https://conference.lvivmediaforum.com/speakers/olesia-ostrovska-liutaLVIV MEDIA FORUM:The NGO Lviv Media Forum strengthens media, institutions, and public figures capable of fostering healthy public dialogue in Ukraine and beyond. Our goal is an effective and democratic society united by healthy communication. The organization was founded in 2013 to bring together media professionals from Ukraine and around the world in Lviv for the annual LMF conference. Over the years, we have grown into an ecosystem of people, organizations, and projects that support the media, develop comprehensive solutions for them, and promote the best media practices in Ukraine and globally. We are moving from supporting and developing media and journalists to a broader strategic focus: empowering communication actors, including media, civil society organizations, government bodies, and more. https://lvivmediaforum.com/enhttps://conference.lvivmediaforum.com/----------Your support is massively appreciated! SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon CurtainNEXT EVENTS - LVIV, KYIV AND ODESA THIS MAY AND JUNE.https://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/----------

2025-11-16 | Silicon Wafers 057 | DAILY UPDATES | Russia’s war against Ukraine is being fought on a scale that few seem to imagine or comprehend, and that includes the scale of resources that are being consumed, from tanks to vehicles, people to artillery shells. The proportions are huge, and the scale is vast, so it should not come as a surprise that certain commodities essential to war are starting to run out. Artillery shells – the supply from North Korea that Russia depends on is running dry, but at the same time the wildly successful Czech initiative that supplies Ukraine is starting to fall apart. Today’s episode is about shells – who has them, who doesn’t, and how that may decide on whether Ukraine holds the line or is forced to cede more territory. Two stories:1. North Korea’s shell pipeline to Russia is faltering – Ukraine’s intelligence says Pyongyang has more than halved its artillery shipments as its own stockpiles run low. (The Kyiv Independent)2. Czechia’s ammunition lifeline to Ukraine is in political limbo – a populist coalition led by Andrej Babiš walks into Prague promising “Czechia first” and casting doubt on the country’s landmark shell initiative. (The Kyiv Independent)----------SOURCES: Kyiv Independent – report on North Korea cutting shell shipments to Russia (Nov 15, 2025)https://kyivindependent.com/north-korea-halves-arms-shipments-to-russia-as-its-own-stockpiles-run-low-ukraines-intelligence-says/Ukrinform – “North Korea cuts shell supplies to Russia, launches drone production – Ukrainian intelligence” (Nov 15, 2025)https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/4058997-north-korea-cuts-shell-supplies-to-russia-launches-drone-production-ukrainian-intelligence.htmlUkrainska Pravda – “North Korea has reduced shell supplies to Russia and is sending outdated ones” (Nov 15, 2025)https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2025/11/15/8007392/Defence Express – “North Korea's ammunition pipeline to Russia shows signs of exhaustion” (Nov 16, 2025)https://en.defence-ua.com/industries/north_koreas_ammunition_pipeline_to_russia_shows_signs_of_exhaustion_ukrainian_intelligence_says-16502.htmlReuters – coverage of Russian glide bomb and drone production and North Korean shell supplies (Nov 2025)https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/russia-plans-make-up-120000-glide-bombs-this-year-ukrainian-intelligence-says-2025-11-14/Reuters, AP, The Guardian, Le Monde – various pieces on North Korean troop deployment and casualties in Kurskhttps://apnews.com/article/cf71c682b57863e4e5207d2c86295738----------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----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------

2025-11-15 | Silicon Wafers 056 | DAILY UPDATES | We follow the full spectrum of stories today, from Ukraine’s legal and righteous fight to eject the invader and gain dominance of the Black Sea, to the unfolding illegality in the Caribbean, and examine whether war is becoming a likely option for an embattled US president, to deflect and distract from his domestic woes and scandals. In this episode we range from Odesa to Caracas, from Kyiv to Washington, and investigate the startling withdrawal of some intelligence support by the British for the US, once considered an staunch ally, fearing they’d become implicated in illegal and arbitrary acts of murder in the Caribbean as Trump’s war against so-called traffickers and gangs ramps up in international waters. Today’s episode is about three converging storms:1. The UK has quietly paused some intelligence sharing with the United States over lethal “drug boat” strikes near Venezuela.2. Moscow is talking about parking its new Oreshnik hypersonic missiles in Venezuela – “Americans may be in for surprises,” as one Russian lawmaker put it.3. And in Washington, the Epstein files scandal is detonating around Donald Trump – raising the grim question: would a weakened president start a foreign war as a distraction?All this loops back to Ukraine, Russia, and – lurking in the background – China.----------SOURCES: The Guardian - https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/nov/11/uk-suspends-intelligence-sharing-with-us-amid-airstikes-in-the-caribbeanFinancial Times - https://www.ft.com/content/4aa29d63-2daf-4cf8-aec4-dc6eb7b5f1efThe Washington Post - https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/11/11/britain-intelligence-sharing-boat-strikes-venezuela/Reuters - https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/rubio-denies-reporting-that-uk-cut-intel-sharing-over-boat-strikes-2025-11-12/Business Insider - https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-lawmaker-send-pantsir-buk-venezuela-air-defenses-ilyushin-2025-11El País - https://elpais.com/america/2025-11-08/venezuela-recibe-mas-ayuda-militar-rusa-en-medio-de-las-tensiones-con-washington.htmlThe Guardian - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/nov/13/epstein-files-key-takeawaysAP News - https://apnews.com/article/db7df1042a73e610fb5deddf2f90bd3aPolitico - https://www.politico.com/news/2025/11/12/jeffrey-epstein-donald-trump-emails-00647447----------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----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------

2025-11-14 | Silicon Wafers 055 | Flamingo Over Novorossiysk: Ukraine’s Long-Range Energy War. In the early hours of November 14, Russia’s biggest Black Sea oil hub, Novorossiysk, went dark in a way that brings a thrill to pro-Ukraine activists on social media. Giant fireballs, and mobile phone footage of Russian’s exclaiming and swearing in the entertaining we have become familiar with. But is the strike of strategic importance, and does it tell us anything about how Ukraine’s deep strike capabilities are changing? Drones over the water, fire at the Sheskharis terminal, and something Moscow really hates to see, which is tankers not loading oil.The next night, hundreds of kilometres to the north, explosions roll across the Russian city of Oryol. Local Telegram channels film glowing debris raining into courtyards. And for the first time, Ukraine officially says it’s using its new home-grown deep-strike weapon: the Flamingo cruise missile. Tonight, we’re going to connect those two things — the burning oil terminal and the cute-sounding missile with a 3,000-kilometre reach — and ask: How is Ukraine’s second front of the war unfolding — not the territorial war, but the one against Russian energy, logistics, and the regime’s balance sheet?----------SOURCES: Kyiv Post – “Novorossiysk Oil Shipments Suspended After Ukraine Drone Strike Sets Key Terminal Ablaze” (Nov. 14, 2025)Kyiv Post – “Explosions Rock Russia’s Oryol – Ukraine’s Use of ‘Flamingo’ Long-Range Missiles Confirmed” (Nov. 13, 2025)Kyiv Post – “ANALYSIS: Ukraine’s Bombardment of Russia – Not Just Oil Refineries, Warships Any More” by Stefan Korshak (Nov. 5, 2025)The Kyiv Independent – “Ukraine confirms use of Flamingo missiles in strikes on Crimea, Zaporizhzhia, targets inside Russia” (Nov. 13, 2025)Reuters – “Storms, drone attacks and record oil exports pile pressure on Russian port of Novorossiisk” (Oct. 15, 2025)Reuters – coverage on Novorossiysk oil export suspension after attack (Nov. 14, 2025) AP News – “Ukraine’s long-range strikes cut Russia’s oil refining capacity by 20%, Zelenskyy says” (late Oct. 2025)Chatham House – “Ukraine’s best defence against Putin’s energy war is more attacks on Russia’s oil refining sector” (2025)Foundation for Defense of Democracies – “Ukraine conducts strikes on Russian targets using domestically produced missiles and drones” (Nov. 2025)The Guardian – “Ukraine war briefing: Flamingo flies into battle, Zelenskyy defers to commanders over Pokrovsk” (Nov. 14, 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/extras----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------