Silicon Curtain

2025-11-21 | Silicon Wafers 063 | Tonight, Vladimir Putin has *apparently* welcomed Donald Trump’s 28-point “peace plan” for Ukraine, though in guarded terms… if it had stopped there, it would have been worrying for Ukraine and its partners. But Putin then behaved exactly as I’ve been suggesting he would. Whenever he senses weakness, even if it is illusory and based on false information, he doubles down on violence, and demands more, more, more. True to form, the address to the nation quickly descended into him ranting and running through familiar grievances, while also threatening more conquest and doubling down on total victory.On paper, he says the plan can be “the basis” for peace. In practice, he’s talking about Kupiansk as if it’s fallen, warning that what he claims happened there will “inevitably be repeated” across the front if Ukraine doesn’t submit. (Reuters) The only problem, is that he mentioned this a month ago, claiming Kupiansk was encircled and about to fall – and the reality is that it still has not been taken. Not even close. So, is he lying, deceived or deluded?----------SOURCES: Reutershttps://www.reuters.com/world/putin-says-us-peace-plan-can-be-basis-peace-ukraine-2025-11-21/AP Newshttps://apnews.com/article/0f90db569cf222e80cfb2c1eb5ea07e1Reutershttps://www.reuters.com/world/europe/europeans-push-back-us-plan-that-would-force-concessions-ukraine-2025-11-20/Reutershttps://www.reuters.com/world/europe/putin-met-with-russian-top-military-brass-kremlin-says-2025-11-20/Axioshttps://www.axios.com/2025/11/21/ukraine-security-guarantee-nato-article-5-trump----------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----------

Timothy Ash, who has been professional economist for more than 30 years, with two thirds of that in the banking industry. Timothy’s specialism is emerging European economics, and he writes and blogs extensively on economic challenges for leading publications such as the Kyiv Post, Atlantic Council, the Financial Times, and the United Business Journal. He is also an Associate Fellow in the Russia and Eurasia programme at Chatham House and has advised various governments on Ukraine-Russia policy and specifically on the impact of sanctions.----------Tetyana Nesterchuk is Barrister and Arbitrator at Fountain Court Chambers. She is a UK expert at the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe, and a vocal Ukrainian in London. Nesterchuk is doing everything in her power to aid Ukraine’s fight against Russia’s invasion. For Nesterchuk, the war didn’t start in 2022. The war began in 2014 when her hometown of Donetsk was overtaken by Russia-backed separatists before eventually being annexed two years ago. Some of her most vital work now centres on the seizure of Russian state assets, the funds from which she hopes can be redistributed to pay for vital services so sorely needed by the embattled Ukrainian population. She acknowledges that she won’t be able to save Ukraine alone, but she won’t ever stop doing her part to help.----------TETYANA NESTERCHUK LINKS:https://fountaincourt.uk/profile/tetyana-nesterchuk/https://www.linkedin.com/in/tetyana-nesterchuk-a4469a21/https://www.thelawyer.com/microeventpeople/tetyana-nesterchuk/TIMOTHY ASH LINKS:https://timothyash.substack.com/ https://www.chathamhouse.org/about-us/our-people/timothy-ashhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/timothy-ash-83a87158/https://cepa.org/author/timothy-ash/----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------DESCRIPTION:Analyzing the Controversial Ukraine-Russia Peace Plan with ExpertsJoin us in this critical discussion with Timothy Ash and Tetyana Nesterchuk as they delve into the recent developments around the so-called peace negotiation process between the US and Russia. The conversation focuses on the controversial peace plan, suspected to be influenced by Moscow, and its potential implications for Ukraine, Europe, and global security. Timothy Ash, an economist with extensive experience in Ukrainian affairs, and Tetyana Nesterchuk, a barrister and expert in European law, provide their insights on the complexities of the plan, the influence of Russian psychological operations, and the broader geopolitical stakes. They also highlight the importance of Europe leveraging frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine and push back against conceding to Russian demands. This episode emphasizes the urgent need for a principled stance on international law and the decisive action required from European leaders.----------

Livestream with Yuri Rashkin and Jonathan MS Pearce----------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----------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/-----------

2025-11-20 | Silicon Wafers 062 | 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----------

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/----------

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----------