Silicon Curtain

Antonina Ria - Public Relations and Communications specialist, consultant, mentor and producer of Cyber Smart City. Before the full-scale war, she worked on commercial projects in the tech industry. In particular, she started the development of the YouControl brand, founded the social direction there, and created the company’s PR department. She helped Ukrainian startups implement PR strategies. From the first hours of the full-scale invasion, she joined the PR Army as a volunteer. She worked with UNITED24, helping with its international launch. She was a host and presenter of the ‘In the World of IT” section on Polish Radio for Ukraine. Now she helps foreign media with Ukrainian context and stories. ----------LINKS:https://www.linkedin.com/in/antonina-ria/https://conference-2024.lvivmediaforum.com/en/speakers/antonina-riahttps://x.com/antonina_riahttps://www.instagram.com/antonina.ria.pr/https://cybersmartcity.org/#home----------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----------

Silicon Bites Ep368 | 2026-07-16 | Could sacking Fedorov be one of the worst self-inflicted wounds of Ukraine's war? Russia is celebrating the move, which means it can’t be good, and how the decision by Zelenskyy has brought the cardboard protests back on to the streets. THE SYSTEM STRIKES BACK: Zelensky fires Mykhailo Fedorov — the most effective defence minister of the full-scale war — after six months, sides with the Soviet-schooled general, whose family it must be noted, still live in Russia, though apparently have cut him off. ----------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.----------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: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.org----------SOURCES:Reuters (via US News) — Factbox: Who Is Ukraine's Mykhailo Fedorov, the Dismissed Defence Minister? (16 July 2026)Kyiv Independent — Zelensky dismisses Defense Minister Fedorov, deepening turmoil in Ukraine's military leadership (15–16 July 2026) Kyiv Independent — 'Utterly baffling': Ukrainians outraged, call for protest after Zelensky ousts Fedorov (16 July 2026)Ukrainska Pravda — Zelenskyy could no longer tolerate ongoing conflict between Defence Minister Fedorov and Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi – UP sources (16 July 2026)Ukrainska Pravda — Protesters in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities call for Fedorov to be kept on as defence minister (16 July 2026) Euromaidan Press — "Cardboard" protests against Zelenskyy's firing of Fedorov erupt across Ukraine (16 July 2026) Euronews — Ukrainians hold rare wartime protest over defence minister's dismissal (16 July 2026) Euronews — Zelenskyy dismisses Ukraine's popular Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov (15 July 2026)Bloomberg — Protests Flare in Kyiv Over Ouster of Popular Defense Minister (16 July 2026) AP (via ABC News) — Protesters rally in Kyiv as Zelenskyy moves to oust Ukraine's defense minister (16 July 2026)----------

Bert Watson is an American government-relations consultant, U.S. Navy veteran and long-standing advocate for stronger U.S.–Ukraine relations who has travelled to Ukraine repeatedly, including eight visits by June 2026. His perspective is unusual because it combines political communications, defence and energy experience with repeated exposure to Ukrainian military units, command posts, special-forces headquarters, hospitals, humanitarian organisations and defence innovators. ----------LINKS:https://www.thecipherbrief.com/experts/bert-watsonhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/bertwatson/https://www.watsonandco.us/team----------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.----------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----------

Silicon Bites Ep367 | 2026-07-14 | This episode: The Butcher's Bill. 1.4 million casualties, up to 450,000 dead — Russia is bleeding at World War Two scale for a war that isn't moving. Mobilization is now the Kremlin's only card. And it's a losing one. The numbers are now in, cross-confirmed by Washington think tanks, British intelligence, independent Russian journalists counting graves, and Ukraine's own commander-in-chief. Russia has suffered around 1.4 million battlefield casualties. As many as 450,000 of its soldiers are dead. No major power has lost anything like this in any war since 1945. And here is the part the Kremlin cannot fix – Russia is now losing men faster than it can recruit them. The war machine is consuming itself. Mobilization is coming — and mobilization will not save Putin. ----------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.----------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: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.org----------SOURCES:CSIS — "Russian Blood and Treasure: The Ballooning Costs of Putin's War" (Seth G. Jones & Riley McCabe)CNN — "Bloodier than Stalingrad: Number of casualties in Russia's war on Ukraine reaches 2 million" (2 July 2026)Kyiv Post — "US Think Tank: WWI-Scale Casualties, Civil Unrest Undermine Russia's War in Ukraine"The New Voice of Ukraine — "Russian losses nearly 8-to-1: CSIS"Mediazona (with BBC Russian) — "Russian losses in the war with Ukraine. Mediazona count, updated" (230,624 confirmed, 3 July 2026)Mediazona & Meduza — "352,000 deaths in four years" (probate registry estimate, 9 May 2026)Kyiv Independent — "Over 230,000 Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine identified by media investigation"Ukrainska Pravda — "Ukraine's commander-in-chief: pace of Russian advance has more than halved" (10 July 2026)Euromaidan Press — "With a 2-to-1 edge, Russia shrank its offensive from 13 fronts to 6, Syrskyi says"Kyiv Independent — "Ukraine war latest: Russian territorial advances slowed by more than half in 2026, Syrskyi says"Kyiv Post — "Syrsky Says Russia's 2026 Offensive Failed Despite Nearly 2-to-1 Troop Advantage" (incl. Zelensky Ankara remarks)Wikipedia (aggregating BBC/GCHQ, The Telegraph, Novaya Gazeta, Ukrainian General Staff) — "Casualties of the Russo-Ukrainian war"----------

Silicon Bites SW26-219 | 2026-07-14 | The Siege of Crimea: How Ukraine Is Sinking Russia's Shadow Fleet. For one week — from the sixth of July to the twelfth — a Russian ship was hit in the Sea of Azov, on average, one every hundred and twelve minutes. And it’s still going on now. Will there be any vessels left? By the count of Ukraine's drone command, ninety Russian vessels were struck in that single week: tankers, tugboats, ferries, dry cargo ships. On the night of July ninth alone, twelve tankers, a tug and a cargo ship were hit — and we know some of those ships burned not from Kyiv, but from the Russian governor of Rostov Oblast, who confirmed the fires in Taganrog Bay, the evacuated crews, and, in a later strike, a dead sailor, himself. That total may now have exceed 100 vessels, and is still rising daily, hourly. And Moscow's response? Retreat. Russia has stopped accepting applications for transit through the Kerch Strait. It has halted shipping on the Don-Azov Canal — the artery connecting its river fleet to the sea. It is pulling its ships off the water rather than defending them. Roughly a hundred and twenty Russian vessels are thought to operate in the Azov. Ukraine's tally says three-quarters of them have now been hit.----------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.----------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: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.org----------SOURCES:----------