Silicon Curtain

2026-05-03 | UPDATES #191 | Tupik. Russia's own war correspondents just declared the war a dead end. The confessions of disheartened z-bloggers and turbo patriots. This episode is based on Michael Naki's survey of Russian z-blogger confessions. Whines of doom and gloom, whinging about the weakness of Russia and Putin’s failure to erase Ukraine as a nation, a people, and as a military power. There is one Russian word you need to hold in your head for the next ten minutes. The word is Tupik. It means dead end. Cul-de-sac. The road that goes nowhere. Ironic that as we approach May 9th, Victory Day, we should be focusing on the war in which Russians no longer see victory, but rather a catastrophic defeat that now threatens to become an existential risk to their imperial realm. For four years, this word has been forbidden in Russian state media. The official line, repeated by Vladimir Putin, by Defence Minister Belousov, by Chief of General Staff Gerasimov, by every state television presenter, by every official briefing — was that the Special Military Operation was progressing. That every Ukrainian village taken was a victory. That every line on the map redrawn in Russia's favour was evidence of inevitable triumph. That the Western analysts predicting Russian failure were inventing fictions.----------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: Michael Naki — "ТУПИК ДЛЯ АРМИИ РФ. Военкоров прорвало" / "DEAD END FOR THE RUSSIAN ARMY. War correspondents have broken through" (May 2026 video, transcript provided in user upload) — Primary source for entire episode: comprehensive collation of admissions from Zvinchuk (Rybar), Solovyov panellists, Sladkov, Steshin, Kotenok, Strelkov, Tretyakov, Ageev, and the "When the cannons sang" Telegram channelWashington Post — "Russian Mikhail Zvinchuk accused by State Department of election interference" (4 November 2024)Genderdesk WordPress — "Another Russian z-blogger: 'Rybar'" (24 April 2026) Pravda Ukraine — "UAV Operators. They'll be operators, not stormtroopers" (April 2026)Pravda NATO — "Results of April 27/30/May 1/May 2 from Rybar via SolovyovLive" (April-May 2026) Ukrainian News (Ukranews.com) — "Terrorist Girkin predicts Russia's military defeat" (April 2026) Wikipedia — Igor Girkin (Strelkov) — Biographical record; FSB colonel; April 2014 Sloviansk operation; Dutch MH17 conviction November 2022; 4-year sentence January 2024; Putin "lowlife" remarks; ongoing Telegram channel maintained by wife Miroslava ReginskayaThe New Voice of Ukraine — "Z-bloggers expose the harsh reality of Russia's stalled invasion" (April 2026) ----------

2026-05-02 | UPDATES #190 | How China became the indispensable engine of Russia’s assault on Europe. Bloomberg confirms 90% of Russia’s sanctioned tech now flows through China. The figure was embedded in a Bloomberg report on Friday, citing officials familiar with private assessments inside European Union institutions. Let’s be clear, this war has gone on for longer, and been more intense, with a far greater scale of slaughter because of massive Chinese material support and enablement of Russia. But is this a strategic decision, or more short term and transactional? Ninety percent of all sanctioned technology now entering Russia — every microchip, every integrated circuit, every electronic component, every machine tool that the European Union and its allies have spent four years trying to deny Putin's war machine — is being supplied through one country. That country is the People's Republic of China.Up from approximately 80 percent a year ago. The increase, Bloomberg's sources confirmed, is the direct result of EU sanctions tightening alternative routes — closing Hong Kong shell companies, sanctioning Turkish intermediaries, breaking up Central Asian re-export networks. As the EU squeezes everywhere else, the channel through China widens. As the channel through China widens, Russia produces more drones, more missiles, more artillery shells.----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------A REQUEST FOR HELP!I'm heading back to Kyiv next month, to film, do research and conduct interviews. The logistics and need for equipment and clothing are a little higher than for my previous trips. It will be cold, and may be dark also. If you can, please assist to ensure I can make this trip a success. My commitment to the audience of the channel, will be to bring back compelling interviews conducted in Ukraine, and to use the experience to improve the quality of the channel, it's insights and impact. Let Ukraine and democracy prevail! https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrashttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformationNONE OF THIS CAN HAPPEN WITHOUT YOU!So what's next? We're going to Kyiv in April 2026 to film on the ground, and will record interviews with some huge guests. We'll be creating opportunities for new interviews, and to connect you with the reality of a European city under escalating winter attack, from an imperialist, genocidal power. 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: Bloomberg — "Russia Increases Reliance on China for Critical War Technologies" (30 April 2026)The Moscow Times — "China Now Supplies 90% of Russia's Sanctioned Tech Imports – Bloomberg" (1 May 2026) Kyiv Post — "China Becomes Main Gateway for Russia's Sanctioned Tech Imports" (April 2026) United24 Media — "Russia Imports 90% of Sanctioned Military Tech via China" (1 May 2026) UA News — "Russia imports more than 90% of sanctioned technologies via China – Bloomberg" (April 2026) Mezha (NV) — "China expands supply of sanctioned technologies to Russia, fueling weapons production" (April 2026)NBC News / Reuters — "China's Xi Affirms 'No Limits' Partnership With Putin in Call on Ukraine War Anniversary" (24 February 2025)Council on Foreign Relations — "China-Russia-Ukraine: May 2025" (7 July 2025)----------

2026-05-03 | UPDATES #191 | Tupik. Russia's own war correspondents just declared the war a dead end. The confessions of disheartened z-bloggers and turbo patriots. This episode is based on Michael Naki's survey of Russian z-blogger confessions. Whines of doom and gloom, whinging about the weakness of Russia and Putin’s failure to erase Ukraine as a nation, a people, and as a military power. There is one Russian word you need to hold in your head for the next ten minutes. The word is Tupik. It means dead end. Cul-de-sac. The road that goes nowhere. Ironic that as we approach May 9th, Victory Day, we should be focusing on the war in which Russians no longer see victory, but rather a catastrophic defeat that now threatens to become an existential risk to their imperial realm. For four years, this word has been forbidden in Russian state media. The official line, repeated by Vladimir Putin, by Defence Minister Belousov, by Chief of General Staff Gerasimov, by every state television presenter, by every official briefing — was that the Special Military Operation was progressing. That every Ukrainian village taken was a victory. That every line on the map redrawn in Russia's favour was evidence of inevitable triumph. That the Western analysts predicting Russian failure were inventing fictions.----------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: Michael Naki — "ТУПИК ДЛЯ АРМИИ РФ. Военкоров прорвало" / "DEAD END FOR THE RUSSIAN ARMY. War correspondents have broken through" (May 2026 video, transcript provided in user upload) — Primary source for entire episode: comprehensive collation of admissions from Zvinchuk (Rybar), Solovyov panellists, Sladkov, Steshin, Kotenok, Strelkov, Tretyakov, Ageev, and the "When the cannons sang" Telegram channelWashington Post — "Russian Mikhail Zvinchuk accused by State Department of election interference" (4 November 2024)Genderdesk WordPress — "Another Russian z-blogger: 'Rybar'" (24 April 2026) Pravda Ukraine — "UAV Operators. They'll be operators, not stormtroopers" (April 2026)Pravda NATO — "Results of April 27/30/May 1/May 2 from Rybar via SolovyovLive" (April-May 2026) Ukrainian News (Ukranews.com) — "Terrorist Girkin predicts Russia's military defeat" (April 2026) Wikipedia — Igor Girkin (Strelkov) — Biographical record; FSB colonel; April 2014 Sloviansk operation; Dutch MH17 conviction November 2022; 4-year sentence January 2024; Putin "lowlife" remarks; ongoing Telegram channel maintained by wife Miroslava Reginskaya----------

Welcome to our monthly conversation with Konstantin, who is one of the most respected voices on YouTube about what is happening Inside Russia. Konstantin Samoilov is a well-known YouTuber whose channel ‘Inside Russia’ comments insightfully on Russia’s decent into authoritarianism over the last few years. But now, like many others, he’s outside Russia, with no idea of when he can return there. ----------LINKS: @INSIDERUSSIA https://www.patreon.com/insiderussiaINSIDE RUSSIA is a source of current news on Russia - Konstantin carefully selects 9 news stories that are important and really matter, with commentaries and analyses by Konstantin delivered daily to channel patrons at Patreon.comGet your access to daily news updates at patreon.com/INSIDERUSSIA----------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----------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----------

James Verini is an American long-form journalist and author who writes for The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, National Geographic and other outlets. The Pulitzer Center describes him as a contributing writer at The New York Times Magazine and National Geographic whose work has won both a National Magazine Award and a George Polk Award. He is also the author of They Will Have to Die Now: Mosul and the Fall of the Caliphate, about the battle to retake Mosul from ISIS.On Ukraine, Verini’s major reporting arc includes “In the Trenches of Ukraine’s Forever War” from January 2022, “Surviving the Siege of Kharkiv” from May 2022, “The Theater” / “Witness to the Massacre in Mariupol” from September 2022, “The Collaborators” from November 2023, and a 2025 New Yorker essay on Alexander Dugin and the ideological roots of Russia’s war. His own site describes the Donbas before the full-scale invasion as a “deadlocked, time-warped conflict,” Kharkiv as a city Russia battered but failed to take, and the Mariupol theater bombing as “the defining atrocity of the Ukraine War.” (James Verini)----------LINKS:https://jamesverini.com/books/https://www.amazon.co.uk/Theater-Courage-Survival-Defining-Atrocity/dp/1668062208/ref=sr_1_2https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Theater/James-Verini/9781668062203https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Verinihttps://www.newyorker.com/contributors/james-verinihttps://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/james-verinihttps://pulitzercenter.org/people/james-verini----------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----------