Silicon Curtain

2026-06-14 | UPDATES #214 | The Institute for the Study of War has formalised the analytical framework that explains why the campaign is achieving its current operational tempo. ISW's June 2026 analysis, as cited by the AP wire reporting: the long-range strike campaign is therefore reducing Russia's production capacity, while the midrange strike campaign is hurting Russia's ability to transport the gasoline Russia is still able to produce.This is what that doctrine means operationally. Long-range strikes — like the 1,500-kilometre reach to Salavat in Bashkortostan, the 1,700-km reach demonstrated against southern Russian targets, the Kotovo and Saratov-region pumping nodes — destroy production capacity. The refinery cannot be quickly rebuilt. The AVT units take months to replace. The destroyed production is gone from the market for the duration of the rebuild.----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------ACTIVE CAMPAIGN:We are raising funds for 5 of 15 Vampire DronesSilicon Curtain for Kupiansk Vampires. Dzyga’s Paw, together with Jonathan Fink, is joining forces to raise $40,000 to provide the Khartiia Brigade with Vampire Drones.https://dzygaspaw.com/silicon-curtain-for-kupiansk-vampiresThese heavy bombers are designed to destroy manpower and equipment, as well as for remote mining. The Vampire UAV, manufactured by Skyfall, has proven itself to be one of the most effective weapons in the Kupiansk direction. Skyfall is one of Ukraine’s largest defense tech companies, producing Vampire bomber drones, various modifications of Shrike FPV drones, P1-SUN, Shahed drone interceptors, communication systems, and components.----------PLEASE HELP ME ME TO GROW SILICON CURTAINWe are planning our events for 2026, and to do more and have a greater impact. After achieving more than 12 events in 2025, we will aim to double that! 24 events and interviews on the ground in Ukraine, to push back against weaponized information, toxic propaganda and corrosive disinformation. Please help us make it happen!----------SOURCES:Associated Press via US News & World Report — "Ukraine Hits Fuel Supplies to Crimea, Sparking a Fuel Crisis on the Russian-Held Peninsula" (11 June 2026) Washington Times via AP — "Ukraine strikes fuel supplies to Crimea, sparking a fuel crisis on the Russian-held peninsula" (12 June 2026) The Moscow Times — "Annexed Crimea's Largest Gas Station Chain Suspends Fuel Vouchers as Shortage Worsens" (1 June 2026) AP via AOL — "Parts of Russia run dry as Ukraine's drone strikes hit oil refineries" — Far East and Crimea most affected; A-95 ~50% above January levels on St Petersburg Mercantile Exchange; Primorye 78 rubles/liter; online resellers 220 rubles/liter; Kuril Islands A-92 halt; Crimea coupon-only sales; gas-station rationing landscapeKyiv Post — "Ukraine Marks Russia Day With Massive Drone Raid on Key Oil Refineries in Tatarstan and Samara" (12 June 2026)Kyiv Post — "Deep Pipeline Strike: Ukraine's Drone Campaign Cripples Vital Volgograd Oil Hub" (13 June 2026)Ukrinform — "War | Daily situation report" (13 June 2026) Kyiv Independent — "Ukraine strikes Russia's oil depot, radar station, other military targets, General Staff confirms" (10 June 2026)BBC Verify / BBC Russian — "Surge in Ukrainian attacks on oil refineries sparks Russian fuel shortages" (2025-2026) Kyiv Independent — "Key Russian oil pipeline node hit in massive Ukrainian drone barrage" (May 2026) Reuters / Yahoo via AOL — "Russia's Saratov oil refinery erupts in flames as Ukraine drone attacks intensify" (May 2026)----------

Dr Alex Fergusson is a UK-based composites and unmanned-systems specialist, Ukraine supporter, and prominent NAFO figure. He is best known in the Ukraine-support community as “Nother Alex Fergusson Fella” and describes himself online as a NAFO SquaDrone Leader and Fella, an “ardent supporter” of Ukraine, and a mechanics-of-composite-materials / nanocomposites specialist. Professionally, Fergusson’s background is in advanced composite materials, aerospace structures, and drone/UAS design. He is a PhD-level lecturer at Imperial College London, founder of FAC Technology, with publications in composites and material characterisation.Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Fergusson has become an outspoken advocate for Ukrainian victory, with a particular focus on the fast-evolving role of FPV drones, autonomous systems, electronic warfare resilience, composite airframes, and UK–Ukrainian defence-tech cooperation. In LinkedIn posts, he has discussed FAC Technology’s “Ghosts of The Few” and “Ghost Squadron Leader” UAS concepts, including Ukrainian-made versions, larger FPV drones, EW-hardened communications, and work with Ukrainian partners such as Drone Space / Dronarnia.----------LINKS: https://x.com/nother_fella2https://www.instagram.com/alexanderfergussonhttps://www.researchgate.net/profile/Alexander-Fergussonhttps://www.linkedin.com/posts/alexander-fergusson-9b95021_kseniia-kalmus-alex-fergusson-drone-event-activity-7261031593681567744-4fZ5https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J31yASWIQvo&vl=en "Ukraine's fastest-evolving weapon: drones explained ..."https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3K9me18dVo "Kseniia Kalmus & Alex Fergusson Drone Event"----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------ACTIVE CAMPAIGN:We are raising funds for 5 of 15 Vampire DronesSilicon Curtain for Kupiansk Vampires. Dzyga’s Paw, together with Jonathan Fink, is joining forces to raise $40,000 to provide the Khartiia Brigade with Vampire Drones.https://dzygaspaw.com/silicon-curtain-for-kupiansk-vampiresThese heavy bombers are designed to destroy manpower and equipment, as well as for remote mining. The Vampire UAV, manufactured by Skyfall, has proven itself to be one of the most effective weapons in the Kupiansk direction. Skyfall is one of Ukraine’s largest defense tech companies, producing Vampire bomber drones, various modifications of Shrike FPV drones, P1-SUN, Shahed drone interceptors, communication systems, and components.----------TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND:Car4Ukrainehttps://car4ukraine.com/en-US/campaignsDzyga's Pawhttps://dzygaspaw.com/projectsSuperhumans - 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/----------PLATFORMS:Substack: https://substack.com/@siliconcurtainTwitter: https://twitter.com/CurtainSiliconLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finkjonathan/Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4thRZj6NO7y93zG11JMtqm----------

Silicon Bites Ep351 | 2026-06-14 | OUT OF GAS: Russia Day 2026 Arrived with Empty Pumps, a 230-Drone Raid That Destroyed Samara's Kuibyshev Refinery, the Worst Crimean Fuel Crisis Since the 2014 Annexation, and a War That Has Stopped Being Something Russians Could Ignore. Happy Russia Day, swamp empire. Your days are numbered, as are those of the killer Putin. Breaking: 11–13 June 2026 — The Crimea fuel crisis hits its tourist-season inflection point on Russia Day; Ukraine's Russia Day raid lands 230 drones on Samara, Tatarstan, and Tolyatti and destroys AVT-4 and AVT-5 at the Kuibyshev refinery; the 13 June Kotovo and Tamanneftegas strikes extend the campaign into the Volgograd pumping network and the southern LPG export terminals; the Institute for the Study of War describes the dual-strike doctrine — and Russia's army runs out of momentum at the same moment its fuel system runs dry.----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------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----------SOURCES:Associated Press via US News & World Report — "Ukraine Hits Fuel Supplies to Crimea, Sparking a Fuel Crisis on the Russian-Held Peninsula" (11 June 2026) Washington Times via AP — "Ukraine strikes fuel supplies to Crimea, sparking a fuel crisis on the Russian-held peninsula" (12 June 2026) The Moscow Times — "Annexed Crimea's Largest Gas Station Chain Suspends Fuel Vouchers as Shortage Worsens" (1 June 2026) AP via AOL — "Parts of Russia run dry as Ukraine's drone strikes hit oil refineries" — Far East and Crimea most affected; A-95 ~50% above January levels on St Petersburg Mercantile Exchange; Primorye 78 rubles/liter; online resellers 220 rubles/liter; Kuril Islands A-92 halt; Crimea coupon-only sales; gas-station rationing landscapeKyiv Post — "Ukraine Marks Russia Day With Massive Drone Raid on Key Oil Refineries in Tatarstan and Samara" (12 June 2026)Kyiv Post — "Deep Pipeline Strike: Ukraine's Drone Campaign Cripples Vital Volgograd Oil Hub" (13 June 2026)Ukrinform — "War | Daily situation report" (13 June 2026) Kyiv Independent — "Ukraine strikes Russia's oil depot, radar station, other military targets, General Staff confirms" (10 June 2026)BBC Verify / BBC Russian — "Surge in Ukrainian attacks on oil refineries sparks Russian fuel shortages" (2025-2026) Kyiv Independent — "Key Russian oil pipeline node hit in massive Ukrainian drone barrage" (May 2026) Reuters / Yahoo via AOL — "Russia's Saratov oil refinery erupts in flames as Ukraine drone attacks intensify" (May 2026)----------

Olena Halushka is a is a board member of the Ukrainian NGO “Anti-corruption Action Centre”, and co-founder of the International Centre for Ukrainian Victory. She has also worked as a chief of international advocacy at the post-Maidan coalition of 80 CSOs “Reanimation Package of Reforms”. Olena is a contributor to the Atlantic Council, Kyiv Independent. She has also written op-eds for the Washington Post, the Foreign Policy, and the EU Observer – but it’s a major article she wrote for the UK’s Guardian newspaper that we’ll be discussing today.----------LINKS:https://twitter.com/OlenaHalushka https://twitter.com/AntAC_ua https://twitter.com/ICUVua https://www.linkedin.com/in/olena-halushka-b7342259/?originalSubdomain=ua https://ukrainianvictory.org/experts/olena-halushka/ https://www.fpri.org/contributor/olena-halushka/https://cepa.org/author/olena-halushka/https://archive.kyivpost.com/author/olena-halushkahttps://foreignpolicy.com/author/olena-halushka/----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND:Car4Ukrainehttps://car4ukraine.com/en-US/campaignsDzyga's Pawhttps://dzygaspaw.com/projectsSuperhumans - 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/----------PLATFORMS:Substack: https://substack.com/@siliconcurtainTwitter: https://twitter.com/CurtainSiliconLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finkjonathan/Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4thRZj6NO7y93zG11JMtqm----------

2026-06-13 | UPDATES #213 | How Putin’s regime ends: the Abramovich Kyiv mission, the Beria precedent and why a chasm is opening between Putin, reality and his elites. 10 June 2026 — the most strategically consequential diplomatic event of the spring of 2026 was held in a Kyiv residence on 21 may, was disclosed by Putin himself at SPIEF on 5 June, and has now re-written the Russian elite's decisional arithmetic. But we must ask, is Abramovich negotiating on behalf of Putin, or the elites that may increasingly be diverging from him, in terms of their perceived interests. ----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------ACTIVE CAMPAIGN:We are raising funds for 5 of 15 Vampire DronesSilicon Curtain for Kupiansk Vampires. Dzyga’s Paw, together with Jonathan Fink, is joining forces to raise $40,000 to provide the Khartiia Brigade with Vampire Drones.https://dzygaspaw.com/silicon-curtain-for-kupiansk-vampiresThese heavy bombers are designed to destroy manpower and equipment, as well as for remote mining. The Vampire UAV, manufactured by Skyfall, has proven itself to be one of the most effective weapons in the Kupiansk direction. Skyfall is one of Ukraine’s largest defense tech companies, producing Vampire bomber drones, various modifications of Shrike FPV drones, P1-SUN, Shahed drone interceptors, communication systems, and components.----------PLEASE HELP ME ME TO GROW SILICON CURTAINWe are planning our events for 2026, and to do more and have a greater impact. After achieving more than 12 events in 2025, we will aim to double that! 24 events and interviews on the ground in Ukraine, to push back against weaponized information, toxic propaganda and corrosive disinformation. Please help us make it happen!----------SOURCES: Financial Times (via Ukrainska Pravda English) — "Zelenskyy proposed meeting to Putin via Abramovich – Financial Times" (7 June 2026) Kyiv Independent — "Zelensky asked Russian oligarch Abramovich to send message to Putin on peace talks" (8 June 2026) Kyiv Post — "Zelensky Confirms Abramovich Came to Kyiv in May, Carried Messages to Putin Including Ceasefire Offer" (8 June 2026) Kyiv Post — "Abramovich Delivered Putin Message on Possible Talks Framework to Kyiv, Zelensky Says" (9 June 2026) Censor.NET — "Zelenskyy confirmed Abramovich's visit in May" (8 June 2026) Michael Naki (YouTube) — "ПУТИН ВЫБЕСИЛ СВОЮ ЭЛИТУ. Абрамович — лишь начало" / "Putin Has Enraged His Elite. Abramovich Is Just the Beginning" (early June 2026)Financial Times (background reporting, 2022; recapitulated in current FT coverage) Time magazine archive — "Russia: At the Kremlin Corral" (reproducing 1953-period coverage) Babel — "71 years ago, the bloody Soviet KGB leader Lavrentiy Beria lost his chance to lead the USSR" (June 2025) History Today — "Lavrenti Beria Executed" — Beria's improbable post-Stalin push for liberalization "that went further than colleagues were ready for"; Presidium hastily convened 26 June 1953; Khrushchev "blistering attack" with British intelligence accusations; "lethal plot was hatched against him"Soviet History MSU archive — "Succession to Stalin" — "Alarmed at Beria's growing prominence and control of the police, Khrushchev conspired with Malenkov and several other presidium members to arrange for Beria's arrest at the hands of the military"; 26 June 1953 plot execution; secret trial and 24 December 1953 execution----------