Silicon Curtain

Silicon Bites Ep314 | 2026-04-08 | Putin's quiet mobilisation and the breaking of the economic volunteer model. 409,000. That's how many men Vladimir Putin needs to push into uniform in 2026 to keep his war running. It's the figure Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi put on the record in February — Russia intends to draft over 400,000 people this year and stand up at least eleven new divisions. Four hundred thousand bodies to feed into the Pokrovsk meat grinder, into the Kupyansk line, into the drone killing fields of Donetsk Oblast.Putin has created an outsourced Gulag – where any infringement of the law, any threat to the regime will get you sent to the front – a one-way ticket for anyone other than the convict class of Wagner. Where the poor and powerless, where ethnic and identity minorities, where opponents and zealots can be sent to the outsourced concentration camp of the Donbas. ----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------SOURCES:Institute for the Study of War (ISW) — Analysis on Kremlin preparations for hidden draft, February 2026. Kyiv Independent — "Putin signs law allowing year-round conscription in Russia," November 4, 2025. Kyiv Post — "Putin Signs Decree to Call Up Reservists for 2026 Training," December 9, 2025. Kyiv Post — "Russian Regional Boss Orders Businesses to Find Army 'Volunteers' Among Employees" (Ryazan / Malkov decree), late March 2026. The Moscow Times — Reporting on Ryazan decree No. 17, March 2026. dagens.com / Obozrevatel — "Russia may turn to forced conscription, analysts warn" (recruitment dropping below losses), March 2026. Meduza — "Russia's conscription system will become year-round starting January 1," December 30, 2025. The Moscow Times — "Russia's New Military Recruits Dipped in 2025, Figures Show," January 16, 2026. The Moscow Times — "Regions Reintroduce Huge Sign-On Bonuses for Contract Soldiers After Lowering Payments in 2025," January 14, 2026. The Moscow Times — "Regions Calling: Governments Cut Back on Once-Lucrative Military Enlistment Payments," January 6, 2026.----------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----------

2026-04-08 | UPDATES #167 | The day Russia lost the war: four years on from the retreat from Kyiv. Not the grinding meat-grinder war in the Donbas – which is a front in the broad conflict. Not the war of attrition that is still burning through Russian soldiers and Russian armour at a rate Moscow cannot replace. The actual war – the long war. The war Putin thought he was launching on 24 February 2022 — a three-day lightning strike, a decapitation of Kyiv, a puppet government installed by the end of the week, a victory parade on Khreshchatyk by the tenth day. That war was by 8 April 2022. The Kremlin just refused to accept the verdict. And refuses to this day to acknowledge that there was no strategic win to be gained, only incremental failure towards long-term loss. Four years later, we are still living inside the consequences of a man who lost his war but decided to keep fighting it anyway or at least sacrificing his people and resources to perpetuate the delusion that Russia could still win.----------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: Wikipedia (consolidated) — "2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine" and "Russo-Ukrainian war (2022–present)." Accessed April 2026.Wikipedia — "Battle of Bucha." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_BuchaChronicleAI / Kyiv dispatch — "Four Years On: EU Diplomats Converge on Kyiv to Mark Bucha Massacre, Vow Justice," April 2026. Euronews — "Romanian foreign minister in Kyiv on Bucha anniversary to witness 'moment of resilience,'" April 3, 2026. RFE/RL — "'Sea Of Pain': Emotional Ceremonies Held Across Ukraine As Russia's Full-Scale Invasion Enters 5th Year," February 24, 2026. UN News — "Ukraine: Bucha and Irpin rise from the ashes of Russian military occupation," February 2024. NPR — "Ravaged by Russian troops, Ukraine's Bucha rises from the ashes," July 2023. EUvsDisinfo — "In April 2022 Russians withdrew from Kyiv to demonstrate their readiness for peace" (debunking). Russia Matters (Harvard Kennedy School) — "The Russia-Ukraine War Report Card," March 25, 2026. Russia Matters — "The Russia-Ukraine War Report Card," March 18, 2026. ----------

Yuri Rashkin live in London. LINKS:https://rashkinreport.substack.com/https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/rashkin-report/id1183073638----------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 is a part of the Christmas Tree Trucks 2025 campaign - an ambitious fundraiser led by a group of our wonderful team of information warriors raising 110,000 EUR for the Ukrainian army. https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/christmas-tree-trucks-2025-silicon-curtainThe Goal of the Campaign for the Silicon Curtain community:- 1 armoured battle-ready pickupWe are sourcing all vehicles around 2010-2017 or newer, mainly Toyota Hilux or Mitsubishi L200, with low mileage and fully serviced. These are some of the greatest and the most reliable pickups possible to be on the frontline in Ukraine. Who will receive the vehicles?https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/christmas-tree-trucks-2025-silicon-curtain- The 38th Marine Brigade, who alone held Krynki for 124 days, receiving the Military Cross of Honour.- The 1027th Anti-aircraft and artillery regiment. Honoured by NATO as Defender of the Year 2024 and recipient of the Military Cross of Honour.- 104th Separate Brigade, Infantry, who alone held Kherson for 100 days, establishing conditions for the liberation of the city.- 93rd Brigade "Kholodnyi Yar", Black Raven Unmanned Systems Battalion ----------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----------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/-----------

Livestream with Yuri RashkinLINKS:https://rashkinreport.substack.com/https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/rashkin-report/id1183073638----------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 is a part of the Christmas Tree Trucks 2025 campaign - an ambitious fundraiser led by a group of our wonderful team of information warriors raising 110,000 EUR for the Ukrainian army. https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/christmas-tree-trucks-2025-silicon-curtainThe Goal of the Campaign for the Silicon Curtain community:- 1 armoured battle-ready pickupWe are sourcing all vehicles around 2010-2017 or newer, mainly Toyota Hilux or Mitsubishi L200, with low mileage and fully serviced. These are some of the greatest and the most reliable pickups possible to be on the frontline in Ukraine. Who will receive the vehicles?https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/christmas-tree-trucks-2025-silicon-curtain- The 38th Marine Brigade, who alone held Krynki for 124 days, receiving the Military Cross of Honour.- The 1027th Anti-aircraft and artillery regiment. Honoured by NATO as Defender of the Year 2024 and recipient of the Military Cross of Honour.- 104th Separate Brigade, Infantry, who alone held Kherson for 100 days, establishing conditions for the liberation of the city.- 93rd Brigade "Kholodnyi Yar", Black Raven Unmanned Systems Battalion ----------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----------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/-----------

Eka Gigauri is a Georgian anti-corruption and democracy advocate best known as the Executive Director of Transparency International Georgia, a role she has held since November 2010. Under her leadership, TI Georgia expanded its staff, opened regional offices, and became one of the country’s most prominent watchdog organizations focused on corruption, governance, elections, and democratic accountability. She has also served on the board of the global Transparency International movement. Eka Gigauri is a Georgian anti-corruption campaigner and A former senior official in Georgia’s Border Police, she has become one of the country’s best-known civil-society voices warning of state capture, democratic erosion, and the authoritarian turn under Georgian Dream. ----------LINKS:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eka_Gigaurihttps://transparencyschool.org/lecturer/eka-gigauri/https://www.opengovpartnership.org/people/eka-gigauri/https://www.linkedin.com/in/gigaurieka/----------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----------