Silicon Curtain

SEE VIDEO ALSO AT: https://youtu.be/2EKB-pulmTU An Emotional Ukrainian - format with Lesia Dubenko - Episode 3 - 2025-01-06 The big interview between Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Lex Fridman. ---------- Lesia Dubenko is a Ukrainian journalist and analyst featured in the Financial Times, Politico Europe, New Eastern Europe, Washington Times, and more. She’s currently affiliated with Ukraine’s media outlet Euromaidan Press. You can follow her on Substack for a dose of good and satirical commentary https://lesiadubenko.substack.com ---------- LINKS https://x.com/lesialvd https://lesiadubenko.substack.com/ https://archive.kyivpost.com/author/lesia-dubenko https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesiadubenko/ https://euromaidanpress.com/author/lesiadubenko/ ---------- 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 frontline towns. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras ---------- SUPPORT THE CHANNEL: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain https://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain ---------- TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND: Save Ukraine https://www.saveukraineua.org/ Superhumans - Hospital for war traumas https://superhumans.com/en/ UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukraine https://unbroken.org.ua/ Come Back Alive https://savelife.in.ua/en/ Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchen https://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraine UNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyy https://u24.gov.ua/ Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation https://prytulafoundation.org NGO “Herojam Slava” https://heroiamslava.org/ kharpp - Reconstruction project supporting communities in Kharkiv and Przemyśl https://kharpp.com/ NOR DOG Animal Rescue https://www.nor-dog.org/home/ ---------- PLATFORMS: Twitter: https://twitter.com/CurtainSilicon Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/siliconcurtain/ Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4thRZj6NO7y93zG11JMtqm Linkedin: 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 No75 | 06-01-2025 - Lex Fridman is in the enviable position to interview some of the world’s leading writers, thinkers, scientists and politicians. Some have accused him of peddling ‘low quality’ and superficial content, but that cannot be true of all his video, given the calibre of some of his guests. And this interview with Zelenskyy that has just come out is one of his best. And it’s not because of the quality of Fridman’s questions. His precision, erudition and wit. Sometimes it’s the reverse, when the simplistic or naïve assumptions behind his questions irked or irritated Zelenskyy, it elicited some of the President’s clearest and best responses. ---------- 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 frontline towns. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras ---------- Trucks under Christmas Tree https://donorbox.org/trucks-under-christmas-tree/fundraiser/silicon-curtain The Goal of the Campaign for Silicon Curtain: € 10,000 to purchase 1 truck to save Ukrainian lives. ---------- This is important, because the interview was not for Ukrainians, for activists or the pro-Ukraine bubble. It was meant for people that may have no regard for Zelenskyy or Ukraine, may be indifferent to its plight, or who may even have been influenced by Russian talking points, and have an active antipathy towards Ukraine’s leadership. If the interview reached these people, and broke down some myths and preconceptions then it will have been worth it. If the interview succeeds in humanising Zelensky and Ukraine for people, then it can be considered a success. If the interview undermines the propagandistic narrative that Putin really wants peace, but is being obstructed by Ukraine, then it will have strategic importance ahead of Trump’s inauguration, and the negotiation process that he clearly wants to initiate. If Trump’s supporters move away from the idea of peace through capitulation, to peace through strength, then this interview will have served a very important purpose. ---------- NEWS SOURCES: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u321m25rKXc ---------- SUPPORT THE CHANNEL: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain https://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain ---------- TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND: Save Ukraine https://www.saveukraineua.org/ Superhumans - Hospital for war traumas https://superhumans.com/en/ UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukraine https://unbroken.org.ua/ Come Back Alive https://savelife.in.ua/en/ Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchen https://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraine UNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyy https://u24.gov.ua/ Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation https://prytulafoundation.org NGO “Herojam Slava” https://heroiamslava.org/ kharpp - Reconstruction project supporting communities in Kharkiv and Przemysl https://kharpp.com/ NOR DOG Animal Rescue https://www.nor-dog.org/home/ ----------

Edition No74 | 05-01-2025 - Ukraine has launched a new offensive in Russia's Kursk Oblast. Early reports on its success are incomplete and mixed. Much of the detail is coming from the Russian Z-blogger community and therefore needs to be view as potentially unreliable. This has not stopped the first media headlines reporting on Ukraine’s surprise counterattack in Kursk today from leading with the reactions of the Russian voices and incorporating their phraseology into article headlines. ---------- 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 frontline towns. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras ---------- Trucks under Christmas Tree https://donorbox.org/trucks-under-christmas-tree/fundraiser/silicon-curtain The Goal of the Campaign for Silicon Curtain: € 10,000 to purchase 1 truck to save Ukrainian lives. ---------- ‘Last ditch attempt’ to catch Russia off guard, and ‘last chance’ to take back land, scream the headlines, directly reflecting quotes from Z-bloggers. But both statements involve massive assumptions, and indeed reflect Russian interests, rather than reality. There’s no way to tell how many new offensives or counter-offensives Ukraine has the resources for, or will have in 3 months’ time, 6 months’ time, etc. Throughout the war, it’s served the interests of Russia to reinforce the myth that it cannot be beaten, that a Russian victory is inevitable, that ever setback for Ukraine is de facto a catastrophe, and every catastrophe for Russia is of no consequence. And many in the media have duly complied, in their use of both explicit and implicit language, to add to this strategic mythology of Russian invincibility, their capacity to apparently tolerate any hardship, and their infinite resources. None of this is of course true. Phrases such as ‘bold’ and ‘surprising’ could equally be applied to the situation, but it seems there is a reflexive bias in the minds of some journalists and policymakers, to automatically position Ukraine as a victim, incapable of achieving victories, and underplay their successes. ---------- NEWS SOURCES: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/05/ukraine-launches-surprise-operation-in-kursk-region-according-to-reports https://www.vietnam.vn/en/tong-thong-ukraine-thong-bao-ton-that-nang-ne-cua-quan-doi-nga-va-trieu-tien-o-kursk/ https://www.politico.eu/article/hundreds-north-korea-troops-dead-kursk-ukraine-war/ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14250611/Putins-forces-slaughtered-attack-Kursk-village.html https://www.newsweek.com/russia-ukraine-kursk-losses-2008486 https://euromaidanpress.com/2025/01/05/ukrainian-forces-launch-attacks-in-multiple-directions-in-russias-kursk-oblast-officials-say/ https://kyivindependent.com/russia-claims-2/ ---------- SUPPORT THE CHANNEL: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain https://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain ---------- TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND: Save Ukraine https://www.saveukraineua.org/ Superhumans - Hospital for war traumas https://superhumans.com/en/ UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukraine https://unbroken.org.ua/ Come Back Alive https://savelife.in.ua/en/ Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchen https://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraine UNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyy https://u24.gov.ua/ Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation https://prytulafoundation.org NGO “Herojam Slava” https://heroiamslava.org/ kharpp - Reconstruction project supporting communities in Kharkiv and Przemysl https://kharpp.com/ NOR DOG Animal Rescue https://www.nor-dog.org/home/ ----------

Edition No73 | 04-01-2025 - Is the stopping of gas transit via Ukraine 'One of Moscow's biggest defeats'? That is what Zelensky is claiming, as Ukraine terminated Russian natural gas transit on 1st Jan. 2025. Kyiv has repeatedly warned it would not extend the agreement to allow Russian natural gas to transit through its territory to Europe, and indeed the expiry of that agreement was a natural point for Ukraine to make good on its threats. It’s remarkable in fact that this gas transit has continues for 3 years of the full-scale war, given how important gas has been in the financing of Russia's war. ---------- 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 frontline towns. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras ---------- Trucks under Christmas Tree https://donorbox.org/trucks-under-christmas-tree/fundraiser/silicon-curtain The Goal of the Campaign for Silicon Curtain: € 10,000 to purchase 1 truck to save Ukrainian lives. ---------- "When Putin was handed power in Russia over 25 years ago, the annual gas pumping through Ukraine to Europe stood at over 130 billion cubic meters. Today, the transit of Russian gas is 0. This is one of Moscow's biggest defeats," Zelensky said. "Turning energy into a weapon and cynical energy blackmail of partners is what deprived Russia of its most attractive and geographically accessible market." Zelensky has suggested that three years is a long enough period for European countries to adapt to the termination of Russian gas supplies. For some countries it’s been easier than others, and some have been more proactive in weaning themselves off Russia gas. Zelensky also suggested that having a greater diversity of suppliers and partners could increase competition in the market and help to drive down prices. "The more gas from Europe's true partners is available on the market, the sooner the last negative consequences of European energy dependence on Russia will be overcome," Zelensky said. With a degree of sarcasm, he added “it will be necessary to withstand the hysteria of some European politicians who prefer mafia schemes with Moscow to transparent energy policy." Two examples of leaders that prefer to maintain so-called ‘mafia relations’ with Russia, are Viktor Orban, the Hungarian Prime Minister, and Slovak counterpart Robert Fico. As the most vocal opponents of Ukraine's decision to stop Russian gas transit, they have also shown a willingness to also pay homage at the court of the killer Tsar in the Kremlin, despite Russia's invasion of Ukraine and are the main promoters of pro-Russian narratives in Europe. ---------- NEWS SOURCES: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/01/breakaway-moldovan-region-cuts-heating-and-hot-water-as-russia-stops-gas-flow https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/russian-gas-pipeline-ukraine-gazprom-b2673631.html https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/02/moldovan-region-transnistria-shuts-down-its-industries-after-loss-of-russian-gas https://kyivindependent.com/slovak-state-energy-company-to-continue-to-supply-electricity-to-ukraine-despite-ficos-threats/ https://kyivindependent.com/one-of-moscows-biggest-defeats-zelensky-on-stopping-russian-gas-transit-via-ukraine/ https://kyivindependent.com/transnistria-rejects-offer-to-buy-gas-from-europe-expects-russia-to-resume-supplies/ ---------- SUPPORT THE CHANNEL: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain https://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain ----------