Silicon Curtain

2026-01-28 | UPDATES #116 | Is Russia’s imperial phase ending — and is Putin speeding up the collapse? Russia is waging a 21st-century war with an 18th-century imperial mindset, and dark ages political system. Empires, when they start bleeding out, don’t usually stop the haemorrhaging of strength by throwing themselves militarily on their neighbours’ territory. Is Russia’s imperial phase ending — and is Putin accelerating the collapse? Serhii Plokhy, the Ukrainian Harvard historian argues that Russia’s attempt to preserve its empire through war follows a historical pattern of overreach and collapse (United24). Is Russia’s imperial phase finally reaching its limits — and is Putin’s attempt to “save the empire” destroying it in real-time?----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------SOURCES: UNITED24 Media — “Putin’s Plan to Save the Empire Is Destroying It—A Harvard Historian on Russia’s Fate” (Jan 19, 2026; updated Jan 23, 2026).Ukrainian World Congress — “Plokhy: The battle for minds is part of the war” (Jan 14, 2026; citing Ukrainska Pravda interview).Tymofiy Mylovanov (LinkedIn) — reaction summarizing Plokhy’s collapse triggers and Russia’s exhaustion dynamic (posted Jan 2026). Ukrainian World Congress — “Serhii Plokhy on Russia’s aggression: This is war of empire’s collapse” (May 13, 2024; background framing on imperial logic).----------SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2026 - 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----------

Its freeing cold in Ukraine - Deadly cold by intention. Russia is trying to make Ukraine uninhabitable. But friends of Ukraine, like DW Phillips are helping to fight back. His organization Ukraine Story is on a mission to bring Generators to Ukraine. Link for DW's Generator Mission with the Ukraine Story Foundation:UkraineStory.org/donatePassword: powertothepeopleOne million in Kyiv alone are without energy. Millions of others are navigating -27C temperatures as the war criminal in the Kremlin continues efforts to destroy the Ukrainian spirit by neutralizing the energy infrastructure and making its cities uninhabitable. Please help their campaign! ----------DW Phillips is a documentary filmmaker and constitutional attorney with Ukraine Story, a nonprofit foundation for journalism and documentary reporting in Ukraine. He and his documentary team have been filming conducting interviews in Ukraine with victims of Russian atrocities, and reporting stories of courage, defiance and perseverance of the Ukrainian people. He has reported on Russian atrocities in Bucha, and is presently working on issues of Kremlin disinformation campaigns in the American Right, religious liberty in Ukraine and the KGB domination of the Moscow Patriarchate of the Russian Orrhodox Church. ----------LINKS:https://www.linkedin.com/in/dw-p-59111859/https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineStory----------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/----------DESCRIPTION:Defending Rule of Law: DW Phillips on Western Civilization's Paradigm ShiftIn this episode, filmmaker, journalist, and constitutional attorney DW Phillips discusses critical issues surrounding overreach and illegality in the modern geopolitical landscape. The conversation delves into the paradigm shift from Western civilization founded on the rule of law to a 'gangster philosophy' where power trumps legality. DW Phillips examines the interconnectedness of events from Davos to Minneapolis to Kyiv and discusses the implications for international law, U.S. foreign policy, and domestic governance. The episode also covers the constitutional crises exacerbated by the Trump administration, the disintegration of international alliances like NATO, and the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. Phillips outlines his efforts to deliver critical supplies to Ukraine and underscores the importance of support for independent journalism and activism.----------CHAPTERS:00:00 Introduction to DW Phillips00:20 The Overreach and Illegality Discussion Begins02:24 The Paradigm Shift in Western Civilization04:10 The Irony of Trump's Influence06:28 Historical Continuity and Modern Disruption10:41 The Importance of International Law16:07 Domestic Implications of Current Policies22:08 The Presumption of Guilt and Its Consequences24:52 Winning Against the DOJ and FBI25:31 The Role of Attorneys and Legal System26:13 Political Loyalty vs. Rule of Law27:20 US vs. UK Legal Systems28:32 Executive Overreach and the 10th Amendment29:06 Trump's Unconstitutional Tariffs31:39 Russia's Influence and Greenland39:38 Humanitarian Crisis in Ukraine42:46 Supporting Ukraine: How You Can Help----------

2026-01-28 | UPDATES #115 | Penguin Camo, Toilet Tents, Turtle Tanks — Russia’s War of Improvisation. Is this resourcefulness, or a war that at time descends into absurdity reminiscent of Monty Pyton? There’s a line from the Ukrainian front this week that sounds like dark comedy — until you remember it’s a war zone, and Ukrainians are being injured, maimed, killed and terrorised. On the other hand, Russia cannot help but being absurd, in a dark and brutal way. “We’ve got penguins walking around here — no more penguin. Shyakaboom.” That’s not just an invented meme. That’s a Ukrainian brigade captioning drone footage of a Russian soldier in bizarre winter camouflage. (armyinform.com.ua)Today’s news flash is about the aesthetics of desperation: the absurd costumes, the “Mad Max” mobility, and the welded-on metal nonsense Russia is throwing at Ukraine’s drone-saturated battlefield — because the old rules of concealment and armoured manoeuvre are getting shredded in real time. Let’s start with the viral image: a “penguin” waddling across open snow. The sober version is worse — and more revealing.----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------SOURCES: Euromaidan Press (Jan 27, 2026) — “A Russian soldier dressed as a penguin was doing a pretty good job avoiding thermal drones” https://euromaidanpress.com/2026/01/27/penguin-camo/ArmyInform (Jan 27, 2026) — “Penguins Walking Around Here” — An Unusual Camouflage Did Not Save an Occupier https://armyinform.com.ua/en/2026/01/27/penguins-walking-around-here-an-unusual-camouflage-did-not-save-an-occupier/Defense Express / Defence-UA (Jan 25, 2026) — Ukrainian drones hunt down Russia’s “turtle tanks” (Video) https://en.defence-ua.com/news/ukrainian_drones_hunt_down_russias_turtle_tanks_on_the_front_line_video-17274.htmlUkrinform (Jan 26, 2026) — Unmanned systems forces demonstrate neutralization of Russian “turtle tank” https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/4084248-unmanned-systems-forces-demonstrate-neutralization-of-russian-turtle-tank.htmlUA.NEWS (Jan 26, 2026) — Air Assault Forces fighters deliver significant damage to Russian equipment - https://ua.news/en/war-vs-rf/biitsi-dshv-zavdali-vidchutnikh-udariv-po-rosiiskii-tekhnitsiMezha (Jan 26, 2026) — Ukrainian 46th Air Assault Brigade Destroys Russian Armor Using Droneshttps://mezha.net/eng/bukvy/ukrainian-46th-air-assault-brigade-destroys-russian-armor-using-drones/amp/Euromaidan Press (Jan 22, 2026) — Russia’s tanks can finally shoot through their drone armor. Ukraine noticed. https://euromaidanpress.com/2026/01/22/rotating-anti-drone-armor/United24 Media (Jan 13, 2026) — Russia’s Answer to Ukrainian Drones? Soldiers Shelter in Bizarre Vertical Pods - https://united24media.com/latest-news/russias-answer-to-ukrainian-drones-soldiers-shelter-in-bizarre-vertical-pods-14960Reuters Pictures (Jan 9, 2026) — Under the canopy: anti-drone nets covering Ukraine’s frontlineshttps://www.reuters.com/pictures/under-canopy-drone-nets-covering-ukraines-frontlines-2026-01-06/JIMR2NBJWBMFDFIXO64EJTCRJY/Ukrainska Pravda (Mar 4, 2024) — Russian troops use Chinese-made golf carts for assaultshttps://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/03/04/7444874/----------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----------

See the full conversation at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-aLuqMf4cs----------On his YouTube channel Talk4Ukraine, Christoph Müller conducts deep conversations with experts, politicians and activists about the current situation in Ukraine and its geopolitical importance.----------LINKS: @Talk4Ukraine https://www.youtube.com/@Talk4Ukrainehttps://x.com/weplay4ukrainehttps://4ukraine.info/https://weplay4ukraine.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/christoph-m%C3%BCller-267302129/https://www.instagram.com/talk4ukraine----------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/----------

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/ https://www.protectingtherepublic.com/podcasthttps://x.com/ddebattohttps://www.kyivpost.com/authors/743----------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/----------