Silicon Curtain

Edition No169 | 26-06-2025 - Appeasing Trump seems to have been the tone and substance of the NATO Summit that has just ended. Maybe it’s worked. Maybe the perceived victory is illusory and temporary. America’s traditional allies pledged to spend a lot more on defence, but the details are sketchy to put it mildly. At least, the Western democracies may conclude, that a Trump toddler meltdown, like that which took place in the Oval Office was averted.“Donald, you have driven us to a really, really important moment for America and Europe and the world,” wrote Mark Rutte, in a statement that managed to be both obsequious and condescending at the same time. “Europe is going to pay in a BIG way, as they should, and it will be your win.” A day later Mr Rutte went further, referring to the president as “Daddy”, in a moment of pure cringe. Was Mr Rutte’s strategy was degrading or inspired, no one could decide. But it is an indication of how far Trump has dragged the tone down to his level. Rutte, Nato secretary-general, praised the US president for his galvanising effect. “Dear Donald, you made this change possible,” referring to the increase in defence spending to 5% of GDP.NATO's Potemkin Summit: Words Over Actions?In this episode of Silicon Bites, we delve into the recent NATO Potemkin Summit, dominated by attempts to appease Donald Trump. Despite soaring promises and new defense spending targets, the tangible actions and details remain vague. The summit reveals the increasing pressure European allies feel to cater to Trump, often at the expense of addressing critical issues like Russia's ongoing aggression toward Ukraine and other NATO members. Key moments include discussions about defense spending, with some nations resisting the 5% GDP target, and Trump's ambiguous commitment to NATO's Article 5. The episode underscores the complexities and contradictions in transatlantic relations under Trump's influence.----------CHAPTERS:00:00:00 Introduction and Channel Support00:00:30 NATO Summit Overview00:00:32 Trump's Influence and Reactions00:01:48 Defense Spending Commitments00:02:26 Russia's Threat and NATO's Response00:02:56 Spain's Resistance and Internal Issues00:04:21 Concerns Over NATO's Preparedness00:07:23 Trump's Ambiguous Stance on Article Five00:09:20 European Allies' Perspective00:12:10 Conclusion and Final Thoughts----------LINKS: https://www.economist.com/europe/2025/06/25/at-a-tricky-nato-summit-a-trumpian-meltdown-is-avertedhttps://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jun/25/the-guardian-view-on-the-nato-summit-europe-must-take-the-path-of-strategic-self-reliancehttps://news.sky.com/story/there-were-toe-curling-displays-of-affection-towards-daddy-trump-at-the-nato-summit-but-like-it-or-not-it-worked-13388735https://theconversation.com/how-nato-summit-shows-europe-and-us-no-longer-have-a-common-enemy-259842https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/06/25/nato-summit-trump-ukraine-war-zelensky-starmer/----------Car for Ukraine has once again joined forces with a group of influencers, creators, and news observers during this summer. Sunshine here serves as a metaphor, the trucks are a sunshine for our warriors to bring them to where they need to be and out from the place they don't.https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/summer-sunshine-silicon-curtainThis time, we focus on the 6th Detachment of HUR, 93rd Alcatraz, 3rd Brigade, MLRS systems and more. https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/summer-sunshine-silicon-curtain- bring soldiers to the positions- protect them with armor- deploy troops with drones to the positions----------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----------

In-Depth Analysis of Western Policy Towards Ukraine and Russia | John ForemanJohn Foreman, former UK defense attache to the Russian Federation and now an independent consultant specializing in Russia, Ukraine, and international security, joins the channel to discuss Western policies towards the Ukraine crisis and the broader implications for international security. The episode delves into the strategic goals and limitations of both the US and European approaches, the role of NATO, and the importance of military innovation and industrial collaboration. The conversation also explores the impact of Trump's and Biden's policies on the conflict, the necessity of increased European defense spending, and the challenges and potential strategies for Ukraine in its ongoing war with Russia. Thank you to all our supporters for making these discussions possible. Stay tuned for upcoming events in Lviv, Kyiv, and Odesa.----------CHAPTERS:00:00 Introduction to John Foreman and His Expertise00:50 Acknowledging Support and Upcoming Events01:55 Current Western Policy on Ukraine03:53 Trump vs. Biden: Differences in Approach06:59 Challenges in American and European Policies11:51 NATO's Role and European Defense18:32 UK Defense Review and Strategic Shifts38:21 Concluding Thoughts on Defense and Innovation----------As the UK Defence Attache to the Russian Federation from 2019 to 2022, John Foreman advised senior UK officials and ministers on Russian military and security affairs and represented the UK Chief of Defence Staff to the Russian General Staff. He had a front-row seat for the tense meetings and negotiations that immediately preceded Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. John Foreman is an independent consultant specialising in Russia, Ukraine, and international security, with over 20 years of diplomatic, operational, and corporate experience in the defence and security sector. He facilitated the largest UK ministerial/defence visit to Moscow since 1944, negotiated a bilateral treaty to reduce operational risk, and informed UK Russia policy and strategy. Currently, he is a visiting lecturer to King's College London, a mentor to future UK defence attaches and advisors. ----------LINKS: https://twitter.com/exexpat19https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-l-foreman/https://www.spectator.co.uk/writer/john-foreman/https://www.ambassadorllp.com/who-we-are/john-foreman----------ARTICLES:https://www.economist.com/by-invitation/2023/03/05/britains-most-recent-defence-attache-in-moscow-on-the-failings-of-valery-gerasimov----------LINKS: https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2025/06/24/could-trump-get-a-nobel-peace-prize-heres-what-we-know-as-allies-champion-israel-iran-efforts/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/trump-nobel-peace-prize-withdrawal-ukraine-ceasfire-b2776295.htmlhttps://www.news.com.au/world/middle-east/blood-on-his-hands-pakistan-turn-on-donald-trump-over-nobel-peace-prize-furore/news-story/d5ce83dddb5c45c732e766f733903fbd----------Car for Ukraine has once again joined forces with a group of influencers, creators, and news observers during this summer. Sunshine here serves as a metaphor, the trucks are a sunshine for our warriors to bring them to where they need to be and out from the place they don't.https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/summer-sunshine-silicon-curtainThis time, we focus on the 6th Detachment of HUR, 93rd Alcatraz, 3rd Brigade, MLRS systems and more. https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/summer-sunshine-silicon-curtain- bring soldiers to the positions- protect them with armor- deploy troops with drones to the positions----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------

Edition No168 | 25-06-2025 - Nobel no more? It’s no secret that Trump has hankered after a Noble prize for many years, because he truly appreciates what it stands for, or because this is an exclusive bauble that few people in history have attained. The ultimate in bragging rights – something gold and rare. There is some intended irony in putting this episode out just after my interview with an actual recipient of the Nobel peace prize, a worthy winner, together with the amazing organisation she leads, The Centre for Civil Liberties. The contrast between Oleksandra Matviichuk and Oleksandra Romantsova with Trump could not be starker. These ladies are serious, passionate about justice and rule of law. Highly empathetic and driven to achieve fairness in the world. There are no materials concerns behind their motivations, and an absolute lack of any ego. Compare and contrast to the bling king – the monarch of New York real estate, who bombed Iran intensely, and turned around and declared peace two days later and expects a peace prize for that. All amidst his implied threats to resume strikes if Iran does not comply. I’m not sure, but the traditional image of a peacemaker is a little different from this – from someone who enforces peace down the barrel of a gun. A peacemaker that uses bullying to get his way, along with overt threats of violence. It’s an original approach; I’ll give him that.----------LINKS: https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2025/06/24/could-trump-get-a-nobel-peace-prize-heres-what-we-know-as-allies-champion-israel-iran-efforts/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/trump-nobel-peace-prize-withdrawal-ukraine-ceasfire-b2776295.htmlhttps://www.news.com.au/world/middle-east/blood-on-his-hands-pakistan-turn-on-donald-trump-over-nobel-peace-prize-furore/news-story/d5ce83dddb5c45c732e766f733903fbd----------Car for Ukraine has once again joined forces with a group of influencers, creators, and news observers during this summer. Sunshine here serves as a metaphor, the trucks are a sunshine for our warriors to bring them to where they need to be and out from the place they don't.https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/summer-sunshine-silicon-curtainThis time, we focus on the 6th Detachment of HUR, 93rd Alcatraz, 3rd Brigade, MLRS systems and more. https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/summer-sunshine-silicon-curtain- bring soldiers to the positions- protect them with armor- deploy troops with drones to the positions----------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 Przemyslhttps://kharpp.com/NOR DOG Animal Rescuehttps://www.nor-dog.org/home/-----------

Oleksandra Matviichuk: The Fight for Ukrainian Freedom and Human DignityOleksandra Matviichuk is a prominent Ukrainian human rights lawyer and leader of the Center for Civil Liberties, shares her inspirational journey and relentless dedication to democratic reforms and human rights amid Ukraine's ongoing struggle against Russian aggression. She delves into the historical and personal motivations behind her work, the powerful example set by Soviet dissidents, and Ukraine's fight for freedom and justice. Oleksandra reflects on the significant impact of the Nobel Peace Prize, the dynamics of the Revolution of Dignity, and the importance of international attention and support. She also discusses the ethical collapse in global geopolitics, the importance of persevering democratic values, and the ongoing battle against Russia's authoritarian regime. Oleksandra Matviichuk's conversation provides deep insights into the human cost of war, the resilience of the Ukrainian spirit, and the universal struggle for dignity and justice.----------Oleksandra Matviichuk is a Ukrainian human rights lawyer and civil society leader based in Kyiv and is a campaigner for democratic reforms in Ukraine and the OSCE region. She heads the non-profit organization Centre for Civil Liberties, which was recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022). In 2012 Matviichuk became a member of the Advisory Council under the Commissioner for Human Rights of Ukraine's parliament (the Verkhovna Rada). After the violent crackdown of peaceful demonstrations on Independence Square in Kyiv in 2013, she coordinated the Euromaidan civic initiative to provide legal assistance and protection to protesters in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities. Between the Revolution of Dignity and 2022, she focused on documenting war crimes in Donbas, which to an extent helped prepare her and the team at the Centre for Civil Liberties for the heinous war crimes committed by Russia during the full-scale invasion, which continue to this day. ----------CHAPTERS:00:00:00 Introduction to Oleksandra Matviichuk and Her Work00:01:29 Founding the Center for Civil Liberties00:03:13 The Impact of the Revolution of Dignity00:05:00 The Nobel Peace Prize and Its Implications00:06:29 Ukraine's Resilience Against Russian Aggression00:07:48 The Role of Ordinary People in the War00:13:20 The Importance of Justice and Accountability00:16:14 The Global Implications of Russia's Actions00:22:16 The Collapse of International Order and Ethics00:30:03 The Cultural and Historical Context of the Conflict00:35:37 The Human Dimension of the War00:39:20 The Fight for Universal Values and Freedom00:54:04 Conclusion and Final Thoughts----------LINKS: https://ccl.org.ua/en/about-the-ccl/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oleksandra_Matviichuk https://x.com/avalaina?lang=en https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/expert/oleksandra-matviichuk/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oleksandra_Matviichuk https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Center_for_Civil_Liberties_(human_rights_organization) https://www.nobelprize.org/events/nobel-prize-dialogue/brussels2024/panellists/oleksandra-matviichuk/ ----------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----------

Edition No167 | 24-06-2025 - Russia has sustained staggering troop losses in Ukraine. Can the regime admit to itself, let alone its people that this has been a tremendous waste for a senseless purpose, and in exchange for trivial gains? Has Russia inadvertently just admitted to the scale of its losses? The staggering troop losses incurred by Moscow's armed forced during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine may just have been blurted out by a senior Russian official on June 19. Mostly likely by accident. He now needs to beware of windows in tall buildings, and a growing list of other hazards that Russia officials, businessmen and military officers are falling prey to. But the war goes on, and Russia’s demands remain maximalist. They continue to demand Ukraine withdraws from the four partially occupied regions — Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia, and now are making incursions into a new oblast – Sumy. According to figures from Kyiv, Russia has suffered more than 1 million dead, wounded, and missing soldiers since the start of its full-scale invasion, and burned through a large chunk of the Soviet era military equipment that was bequeathed to Russia upon the dissolution of the USSR. And then fell into the hands of pathological kleptocrat, Vladimir Putin.In return for their losses, Russia has received just a few hundred square kilometres of blasted and wrecked earth and the piles of rubble that were formerly towns and villages on those territories. In an interview with CNN, Russian Ambassador to the U.K. Andrey Kelin dismissed the 1m figure of killed and wounded but did confirm that "about 600,000" Russian soldiers were fighting in Ukraine, a number which tallies with some Ukrainian estimates.----------LINKS: https://kyivindependent.com/russia-just-accidentally-admitted-to-its-staggering-troop-losses-in-ukraine/https://kyivindependent.com/by-dumping-bodies-during-exchanges-russia-afraid-to-admit-scale-of-casualties-zelensky-says/https://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2025/jun/22/one-million-and-counting-russian-casualties-hit-milestone-in-ukraine-war?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-gb----------Car for Ukraine has once again joined forces with a group of influencers, creators, and news observers during this summer. Sunshine here serves as a metaphor, the trucks are a sunshine for our warriors to bring them to where they need to be and out from the place they don't.https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/summer-sunshine-silicon-curtainThis time, we focus on the 6th Detachment of HUR, 93rd Alcatraz, 3rd Brigade, MLRS systems and more. https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/summer-sunshine-silicon-curtain- bring soldiers to the positions- protect them with armor- deploy troops with drones to the positions----------CHAPTERS:00:00 — Introduction and thanks to supporters.00:24 — Channel support helps ongoing Ukraine coverage.02:32 — Recruitment rates and implications for Russian losses.05:05 — Russian economy at risk; government spending out of control.08:13 — Official casualty numbers; independent verification by Mediazona and BBC.10:40 — Funeral industry profits; bureaucracy’s role in reporting.14:18 — Workforce impact; pandemic deaths; falling life expectancy.16:40 — Example of a bereaved parent urging escalation.18:00 — Massive government compensation for families; online support groups.19:45 — Recent recruitment figures; wasteful tactics.19:58 — War continues until public or families refuse to participate.20:19 — Closing remarks; senseless death continues at Kremlin’s behest.----------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----------

Edition No166 | 23-06-2025 - This is a horrific story, which stands out eve amongst the slew of horrific stories we churn through each day. Apparently, a Russia soldier, now killed, has been accused of eating a comrade. It is emblematic of the brutality of Russia’s war, but perhaps also symbolic of how the country is both destroying its neighbour, and consuming itself, through rage, aggression, greed and hate-fuelled envy. Leaked audio from Ukraine's HUR claims that a Russian soldier consumed one of his fellow infantrymen. We can’t use the c~ word, as it’s taboo in this platform’s algorithm and may cause the video to be blocked. A Russian soldier deployed in Ukraine may have been involved in fratricidal culinary crime, audio intercepted by Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) and released on June 20 suggests. In the recording a Russian commander is heard telling a subordinate that ‘Brelok’ eliminated and consumed ‘Foma’. This grotesque act took place over two weeks it is alleged.----------Links: https://tvpworld.com/87394331/he-ate-his-comrade-intercepted-call-reveals-shocking-cannibalism-among-russian-troopshttps://militarnyi.com/en/news/za-nashikh-a-murderer-of-two-women-and-a-cannibal-serve-in-the-russian-army/https://www.kyivpost.com/post/54861https://metro.co.uk/2025/06/21/one-putins-cannibal-soldiers-killed-comrade-eat-two-weeks-23470693/https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/4006257-intelligence-intercept-exposes-cannibalism-cases-in-russian-army.htmlhttps://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/chilling-explanation-freeing-cannibal-killer-35213313https://kyivindependent.com/leaked-audio-suggests-cannibalism-among-russian-troops-ukrainian-intel-claims/ ----------Car for Ukraine has once again joined forces with a group of influencers, creators, and news observers during this summer. Sunshine here serves as a metaphor, the trucks are a sunshine for our warriors to bring them to where they need to be and out from the place they don't.https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/summer-sunshine-silicon-curtainThis time, we focus on the 6th Detachment of HUR, 93rd Alcatraz, 3rd Brigade, MLRS systems and more. https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/summer-sunshine-silicon-curtain- bring soldiers to the positions- protect them with armor- deploy troops with drones to the positions----------CHAPTERS:00:00 Introduction and Support Acknowledgment00:26 A Horrific Story Unfolds01:14 Details of the Atrocity02:46 Implications and Reactions03:02 Recruitment from Prisons04:27 Systemic Abuse in the Russian Army05:44 Notorious Criminals in the Ranks06:43 Russian World Values07:47 Intercepted Calls and Psychological Stress08:32 Conclusion and Reflection----------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 Przemyslhttps://kharpp.com/NOR DOG Animal Rescuehttps://www.nor-dog.org/home/-----------

Anna Danylchuk has been creating a war diary since the early days of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia in 2022. Anna Danylchuk aims to tell the truth about Ukraine and Russia’s war and cut through the noise and propaganda. Anna is passionate about the beauty and independence of her country, and communicates this powerfully in her videos, in a clear and honest way.----------LINKS: @AnnafromUkraine https://www.buymeacoffee.com/annafromukraineMy interview with Anna in Lviv - hosted on her excellent channel- https://youtu.be/daHcnsNQ1S0?si=yHbZ2kJZ3CTVRd8Z----------SILICON CURTAIN FILM FUNDRAISER - A 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----------OTHER VIDEOS WITH ANNA ON SILICON CURTAIN:18. https://youtu.be/WirkjeSdS18 (27-May-25)17. https://youtu.be/wBD-VMNmWmM (01-May-25)16. https://youtu.be/z9nHjNDzb84 (07-Feb-25)15. https://youtu.be/o_gWfR5XPrE (20-Dec-24)14. https://youtu.be/EZRULDT06_k (13-Nov-24)13. https://youtu.be/GU4R5mcubIE (19-Sep-27)12. https://youtu.be/APTdfyqnyAI (15-Aug-24)11. https://youtu.be/xUsxXcc97m8 (03-Jun-24)10. https://youtu.be/eQ5fJCFATM0 (18-Apr-24)----------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/----------PLATFORMS:Twitter: https://twitter.com/CurtainSiliconInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/siliconcurtain/Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4thRZj6NO7y93zG11JMtqmLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finkjonathan/Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------Welcome to the Silicon Curtain podcast. Please like and subscribe if you like the content we produce. It will really help to increase the popularity of our content in YouTube’s algorithm. Our material is now being made available on popular podcasting platforms as well, such as Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Edition No165 | 22-06-2025 - TACO no more? Trump has taken decisive action. Was it from a strategic assessment of the risk posed by Iran’s nuclear ambitions, or was he manipulated into it by a forceful Netanyahu, exuding macho aggression and decisiveness? Was Trump perhaps driven to action by a sense of inevitability, once the bombers and refuelling aircraft were in position, it would have seemed weak to bring them all back without any action being taken. Or was he finally forced into action by domestic political pressure. Or were the feared divisions within MAGA that an attack on Iran would provoke overridden by the damaging slogan being adopted by Trump’s detractors – TACO two weeks… The US may have changed the course of the conflict. Will Iran respond with measured and symbolic aggression, or all out aggression with a response that hits Western targets in the region. I would guess the former, but it may depend on how fragile the regime feels. Trump has made further threats, saying Iran must make peace or face future attacks after US strikes. Benjamin Netanyahu stood at the podium in the Israeli prime minister's office and started by speaking English, lavishing praise upon, US President Donald Trump after the US bombed Iranian nuclear sites. Netanyahu's tone was triumphant. His glee beamed through, having seen a lifetime of paranoia in relation to Iran, (justified or not, that is a question to be debated), finally come to fruition with a consummate act of aggressive pre-emptive deterrence. Iran’s nuclear ambitions may have been set back by decades, possibly forever. Thousands of Russian scientists and engineers who were assisting Iran develop these nuclear capabilities are being shipped out – rats leaving the sinking ship kind of implications.----------Links: https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2025/jun/22/israel-iran-war-live-trump-says-us-has-attacked-nuclear-sites-in-iran-including-fordow?page=with%3Ablock-685751648f0808294ac4b2cb&filterKeyEvents=false#liveblog-navigationhttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9dgpjqg12lohttps://news.sky.com/story/stability-in-middle-east-is-priority-says-starmer-as-he-calls-on-iran-to-return-to-negotiating-table-13386950https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/iran-us-trump-bomb-israel-strikes-nuclear-dangerous-latest-b2774597.html----------Car for Ukraine has once again joined forces with a group of influencers, creators, and news observers during this summer. Sunshine here serves as a metaphor, the trucks are a sunshine for our warriors to bring them to where they need to be and out from the place they don't.https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/summer-sunshine-silicon-curtainThis time, we focus on the 6th Detachment of HUR, 93rd Alcatraz, 3rd Brigade, MLRS systems and more. https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/summer-sunshine-silicon-curtain- bring soldiers to the positions- protect them with armor- deploy troops with drones to the positions----------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----------

Edition No164 | 21-06-2025 - Next up, is the world about to open the Pandora’s Box of Assassination Escalation? There has been extensive discussion this week of whether it’s going too far to remove a leader from the stage to end a war. In this case, the focus is on Ali Hosseini Khamenei, the second supreme leader of Iran since 1989. Before we dive into this topic, we should indulge in some philosophical and legal contemplation. Assassination is a word that has been extensively used in association with Ukraine’s campaign to take out Russian military personal, allegedly responsible for horrific crimes. In the context of war, it’s not prohibited to target servicing Russian military personnel, and Ukraine shows some restraint in that they are only going after those who are implicated in specific crimes, and not for all associates of the murderous Putin regime. So straight way, let’s distinguish taking out servicing military personal, whatever the context. I do not see these as assassinations, and they will not be addressed here. This episode will exclusively look at the intentional targeting of politicians, technocrats and journalists, which we’ll be referring to as assassination. Based on that definition, we may be entering an uncertain and highly risky era, where the taboo against eliminating leaders is lifted and these acts become normalised.----------Links: https://cepa.org/article/ukraine-cites-mossad-as-assassinations-multiply/https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/assassination-attempt-on-vladimir-putin-russian-official-claims-helicopter-at-epicenter-of-ukraine-drone-attack-101748197603758.htmlhttps://kyivindependent.com/regime-change-in-iran-unacceptable-kremlin-says/https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/hezbollah-warns-assassination-of-irans-supreme-leader-would-have-disastrous-consequences/https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2025/06/19/israel-iran-despite-the-assassination-of-top-brass-tehran-s-military-is-still-operational_6742515_4.htmlhttps://kyivindependent.com/people-were-killed-inside-presidential-office-zelensky-reveals-details-of-russias-assassination-attempts-in-2022/https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/russian-agent-charged-in-poland-over-plot-1747762693.htmlhttps://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2025/04/30/7509972/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/russia-chechnya-ramzan-kadyrov-blood-feud-assassination-lawmakers-rcna174820https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2024-11-22/putin-s-assassination-targets-revealed-in-declassified-memo----------Car for Ukraine has once again joined forces with a group of influencers, creators, and news observers during this summer. Sunshine here serves as a metaphor, the trucks are a sunshine for our warriors to bring them to where they need to be and out from the place they don't.https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/summer-sunshine-silicon-curtainThis time, we focus on the 6th Detachment of HUR, 93rd Alcatraz, 3rd Brigade, MLRS systems and more. https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/summer-sunshine-silicon-curtain- bring soldiers to the positions- protect them with armor- deploy troops with drones to the positions----------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----------

Caolan Robertson is a journalist, film maker, political writer and social commentator. He is a director at Byline TV and now lives in "beautiful Ukraine".https://www.youtube.com/@CaolanReports ----------Directed by Caolan Robertson, The Eastern Front is the first major Western documentary to focus on the harrowing reality of the war in Ukraine.https://byline.tv/putindocumentary/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXU8QU0k3Mk----------Car for Ukraine has once again joined forces with a group of influencers, creators, and news observers during this summer. Sunshine here serves as a metaphor, the trucks are a sunshine for our warriors to bring them to where they need to be and out from the place they don't.https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/summer-sunshine-silicon-curtainThis time, we focus on the 6th Detachment of HUR, 93rd Alcatraz, 3rd Brigade, MLRS systems and more. https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/summer-sunshine-silicon-curtain- bring soldiers to the positions- protect them with armor- deploy troops with drones to the positions----------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/----------PLATFORMS:Twitter: https://twitter.com/CurtainSiliconInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/siliconcurtain/Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4thRZj6NO7y93zG11JMtqmLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finkjonathan/Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------Welcome to the Silicon Curtain podcast. Please like and subscribe if you like the content we produce. It will really help to increase the popularity of our content in YouTube’s algorithm. Our material is now being made available on popular podcasting platforms as well, such as Spotify and Apple Podcasts.