Silicon Curtain

2024-08-27 | Civilians has been killed and injured as Russia launches a large-scale attack on Ukraine for second night, on 27th August 2024. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, this was possibly the largest attack on Ukraine since start of full-scale invasion. Russia launched 127 projectiles and 109 drones, while Ukraine downed 102 projectiles and 99 drones, estimated the Air Force. Russian strikes hit several civilian, energy, and fuel facilities, including a dam in Kyiv, part of the Kyiv Hydroelectric Power Plant, more on that in a minute. ---------- Seven people were killed and 47 were injured, according to the State Emergency Service and this attack was spread over a huge territory, with Russian forces striking targets in 15 oblasts, according to Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal. Russia is using an approach that combines many types of offensive weapons – likely because this what they have, but also because the mixture creates a harder task for Ukrainina air defences. One Kinzhal ballistic, one Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic, one Kh-22 cruise, 99 Kh-101, Kalibr, and Kh-59/69 cruise, as well as 99 Shahed-type drones. You’ll notice that I avoid using the ‘M’ word I here, because there is some evidence that the algorithm does not approve of that word, or the violent reality that it represents. Scanning the media reports, there is some coverage, but nearly as much as would be expected from such a serious event. Some commentators have slipped in the ad hoc analysis that this attack was ‘revenge’ for the Kursk incursions. But no Ukrainian analysts have expressed this view. Rather, they point out, that Russia’s behaviour has been consistent for 2 and a half years now. Where it can attack, it does. Where air defences are shown to be weak Russia attacks hardest, and where it can take out crucial energy and power-generating infrastructure, it goes after that. The behaviour has not changed, and the target has not changed. Only the intensity varies, and that is usually timed in a symbolic way after key holidays such as New Year and Ukrainian Independence Day which has just passed. Rather than revenge, this is the mindset of an abusive ex-partner that tries to excerpt his ‘ownership’ over an abused spouse, even though he has no legal or moral right to do so. ---------- Sources and recommended reading: https://kyivindependent.com/attacks-84/ https://kyivindependent.com/russia-launches-largest-attack-on-ukraine-since-start-of-full-scale-invasion-air-force-reports/ https://kyivindependent.com/at-least-2-dead-4-injured-in-russian-missile-strike-on-kryvyi-rih/ https://kyivindependent.com/explosions-in-kyiv-russia-launches-massive-missile-and-drone-attack-on-cities-across-ukraine/ https://kyivindependent.com/a-near-death-feeling-largest-yet-russian-attack-on-ukraines-energy-infrastructure-brings-back-widespread-power-outages/ https://kyivindependent.com/borrell-calls-on-to-lift-ban-for-ukraines-use-western-long-range-weapons-after-russian-mass-aug-26-attack/ ---------- 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/ ----------

Oleksiy Goncharenko was born in Odesa, and is a Ukrainian politician, member of the Ukrainian parliament, member of the Ukrainian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Vice President of the PACE Committee on Migration, Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons, founder of a Ukrainian network of educational and cultural centres. In 2014, he was elected to the Verkhovna Rada on the party list of Petro Poroshenko Bloc. In the 2019 Ukrainian parliamentary election Goncharenko was re-elected as an independent candidate. He also runs a hugely popular YouTube channel and is a very effective communicator through digital media channels. #АлексейГончаренко #Олексійgoncharenko #ukraine #ukrainewar #russia #zelensky #putin #propaganda #war #disinformation #hybridwarfare #foreignpolicy #communism #sovietunion #postsoviet -------------------- LINKS: https://twitter.com/GoncharenkoUa https://www.youtube.com/@AlexGoncharenko https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oleksiy_Goncharenko ---------- CHAPTERS: 00:00 Introduction ---------- 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.

The approach to supporting Ukraine which Western leaders have been taking so far has been „as long as it takes“. The lack of a clearly defined end goal impacted the pace and scale of the assistance, as well as raised questions on its efficiency. It cannot last this way in the protracted war as Ukraine’s mobilisation potential and resources are shorter than Russia’s. Instead, a clear commitment of the West to aid Ukraine with „whatever it takes for a fast victory“ is the only way to return sustainable peace back to Europe. ---------- ABOUT: 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-halushka https://foreignpolicy.com/author/olena-halushka/ ---------- 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.

Shaun Pinner is a former British soldier and Ukrainian Marine. He has written an extraordinary first-hand account of the war in Ukraine, his capture, imprisonment, and torture by the Russian invaders. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaun_Pinner https://www.penguin.co.uk/authors/300663/shaun-pinner https://www.instagram.com/snowy_ua/ https://x.com/olddog100ua ---------- Macer Gifford is a British veteran of the Ukrainian Army are whose dispatches from the frontlines of this conflict were of tremendous value, highly engaging, informative, eloquent, and full of humanity. https://x.com/macergifford https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macer_Gifford https://www.hachette.co.uk/contributor/macer-gifford/ ---------- Jonathan MS Pearce is a philosopher, author, columnist, and public speaker. He also is a former teacher and is now battling primary progressive multiple sclerosis. He made a remarkably and arduous journey to Ukraine’s frontlines, earlier this year. I’m delighted to welcome back to the channel three of the most compelling advocates for UA in UK. https://x.com/atipplingphilo https://www.youtube.com/@UCtUQHzC0QmABOQERfABAhZg https://secularhumanism.org/authors/pearce-jonathan-ms/ ---------- Welcome to Silicon Curtain – all our content is also available on popular podcast platforms like Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Please like and subscribe to help new people find our fantastic speakers. ---------- 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.

2024-07-12 | It has been said that Russian corruption is Ukraine’s greatest ally. But it seems that the interfering bureaucratic mindset of Russian politicians and officials is also a great aid to the Ukrainian war effort. ---------- The Russian parliament adopted a law in July hiking the penalty for the unauthorised use of personal internet devices, and in fact any internet enabled gadgets, by frontline Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine. The new law follows reports the Russian army is experiencing record losses on the frontline. The law classifies possession of devices that allow military personnel to store or send videos, photos or geolocated data via the internet as a grave offense, punishable by up to 15 days detention. It also forbids the transmission of any information that could be used to identify any Russian troops and their whereabouts. There are some fears that this will make it harder to for Ukrainian units to analyse Russian movements, according to Ukrainian open-source investigators. But even if this law cuts both ways, on balance it’s likely that Russian soldiers will come off worse. We can guess at it’s negative impact by the uproar it has cause among Z-Patriots and bloggers. Yegor Guzenko, also known as the Thirteenth, said in a Telegram post that the entire army relies on internet devices. "But how can office rats understand and know this? Let's let these scumbags of the Duma go to war themselves," he wrote. ---------- Sources and recommended reading: https://www.politico.eu/article/russian-duma-adopts-law-on-punishment-for-soldiers-using-gadgets-on-the-frontline/ https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-july-23-2024 https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidhambling/2024/07/24/russia-plans-to-punish-troops-using-smartphones-in-ukraine/ https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/07/putin-bans-electronic-devices-in-bid-to-stop-russian-military-leaks ---------- 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.

Cormac Smith has worked in Public Relations and Corporate Communications for over three decades. In 2016 he travelled to Ukraine to take up a special appointment as the ‘Strategic Communication Advisor’ to Pavlo Klimkin, then the Foreign Minister of Ukraine. He was attached to the British Embassy in Kyiv but was embedded in Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the first foreigner to hold such a position. While in Kyiv, he also advised and provided training for five other government ministries and worked directly with three other cabinet ministers: Health, Education and the Deputy Prime Minister. ---------- Philip Ingram is a journalist and consultant who has built on a long and senior military career as an intelligence, counterintelligence, security officer, and planner. Philip has extensive business experience, especially in steel manufacturing. He also has extensive media experience, appearing on the BBC, Sky News and Radio networks, international networks including Al Jazeera, TRT World, CNN, ABC, CBC, Japanese NTV and many others. ---------- LINKS: https://defencebrink.uk/ https://x.com/philipingmbe https://x.com/PhilipIngMBE ---------- 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.

2024-08-21 | Where exactly is Vladimir Vladimirovich? This is the adult version of where’s Wally? Find the genocidal tyrant. It’s not even a matter of spotting him amongst the body doubles, trebles, quadruples, quintuples, etc. He’s nowhere. Largely vanished from the screens of state TV and official appearances. ---------- It’s been 2 weeks since a foreign army invaded Russia, the first time in fact for 80 years since the former ally of the USSR, Nazi Germany turned on Stalin. Russia has lost 1,250 kilometres and 92 settlements to a substantive Ukrainian army, and Putin chooses this moment to keep a low profile. Why is the dictator who fosters the image of a tough, man of action, who was going to take Kyiv in 3 days, and eliminate all the Ukro-nazis, silent on the fact that this decadent and ‘corrupt’ adversary is now gobbling up chunks of Russian territory. Literally driving German tanks into Kursk to de-Putinise Russian territory. And many of the locals seem perfectly happy with this. My guess is that the tyrant is terrified, as reality catches up with his myths and delusions. ---------- Sources and recommended reading: https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2024-08-16/ukraine-s-assault-inside-russia-is-putin-s-worst-nightmare https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XPSp-8bUY0 ---------- 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.

2024-08-20 | 2024, and Russia’s history is once more turning on the Kursk region. This is the campaign that broke Putin – that showed the world the hollowness and impotence of the Russian army, the lunacy of his invasion of Ukraine and the toxic propaganda that sustains his regime. We are now in the second week of Ukraine’s offensive within Russia, and there is no sign of a military response from Putin that has any chance of dislodging the Ukrainian forces. There are Georgians and Belarussians said to be among the troops, emphasising the anti-imperial character of the fightback against Russia.  @SiliconWafers  ---------- In early 1941, spies and diplomats started to warn Joseph Stalin, dictator of the Soviet Union, that that the Nazis were about to strike. Reports that it was Hitler’s intention to rip up the non-aggression pact between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany were received with increasing frequency and urgency. Stalin, apparently ignored them, believing them that the Germans would not choose to fight on two fronts, and any invasion would only come after they had defeated France. Soviet intelligence purportedly named the exact, or almost exact, date of the invasion no fewer than 47 times in the 10 days before “Operation Barbarossa” went into effect. Fast forward to 2024, and it seems that Putin may have been warned of Ukraine’s incursion into Kursk days before it began, but again ignored the warnings. We examined the possible reasons why in the previous episode, but the historical parallels are interesting, nonetheless. The historical ironies accumulate. The battle of Kursk in the summer of 1943 was a critical turning point in World War II, an encounter that both sides knew would reshape the war. The adversaries were at the peak of their respective military powers. More than three million men and eight thousand tanks met in the heart of the Soviet territory. Defeat ended German hopes of restoring their position on the Eastern Front and put the Red Army on the road to Berlin. From there, Stalin went on to take Berlin, and place his brutal imprint on the post war order in Central and Eastern Europe. Many ancient states in Europe came under the dominance of The Soviet Union, and a process of political Russification extinguished their independence and hopes of democratic development. ---------- Sources and recommended reading: https://kyivindependent.com/syrskyi-kursk-economist/ https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-ukraine-captures-92-settlements-in-russias-kursk-oblast-kyiv-claims/ https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-allegedly-hits-3rd-bridge/ https://kyivindependent.com/10-days-of-kursk-from-first-shot-to-capture-of-sudzha/ https://kyivindependent.com/mick-ryan-on-ukraines-kursk-offensive-high-risk-high-return/ https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-established-military-administration-in-russias-kursk-oblast/ ---------- 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 No54 | 19-08-2024 - Washington is effectively blocking Britain’s request for Kyiv to employ Storm Shadow missiles against targets within Russian territory, according to reports. This move comes amidst the Biden administration’s apprehensions about so-called ‘escalation’ of the conflict in Ukraine. ~~~~~ Reports continue to swirl that the US is effectively blocking Ukraine from firing British Storm Shadow missiles on targets within mainland Russia, mirroring its own restrictions on the use of highly effective long-range weapons against strategic military targets on Russia’s territory, for instance with ATACMS. These bases are used, not only to hit Ukrainian cities, civilians, and infrastructure, but also degrade Ukraine’s military and quite possibly limit the scope and effectiveness of operations such as the Kursk offensive. The US has defined and imposed safe zones for Russian killing hardware, where they have impunity to murder Ukrainians, and can expect no repercussions for their actions. There are drones of course, but these neither have the scale or speed to take out the Russian military bases and aircraft in a highly agile and timely way. The US policy has created a safe space for murder by Russians. ~~~~~ SUPPORT THE CHANNEL: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain https://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain ~~~~~ NEWS SOURCES: KYIV INDEPENDENT https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-can-decide-how-to-use-spanish-supplied-equipment-spanish-defense-minister-says/ https://kyivindependent.com/russia-used-over-40-missiles-750-guided-bombs-against-ukraine-this-week-zelensky-says/ https://kyivindependent.com/attacks-82/ https://kyivindependent.com/us-ukraine-discussions-about-long-range-cruise-missiles-in-advanced-stages-source-says/ https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-ukrainian-forces-strengthen-their-positions-in-kursk-oblast-reportedly-destroy-another-key-bridge/ https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-we-need-timely-delivery-of-promised-aid-packages-war-does-not-take-breaks/ https://kyivindependent.com/10-days-of-kursk-from-first-shot-to-capture-of-sudzha/ https://kyivindependent.com/attacks-81/ https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-forces-entered-another-russian-oblast-media-say/ https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-hit-4-russian-airbases/ https://kyivindependent.com/general-staff-says-russias-black-sea-fleet-submarine-sunk-after-successfully-hit/ https://kyivindependent.com/thousands-flee-as-russian-troops-take-one-donetsk-oblast-village-after-another/ https://kyivindependent.com/with-nord-stream-making-headlines-again-donald-tusk-tells-patrons-to-apologize-and-keep-quiet/ https://kyivindependent.com/opinion-were-the-istanbul-peace-talks-a-missed-opportunity-for-ukraine/ https://kyivindependent.com/russian-forces-start-fire-at-zaporizhzhia-nuclear-plant-ukraine-says/ https://kyivindependent.com/moscow-spreads-more-claims-about-alleged-ukraines-plan-to-attack-kursk-nuclear-plant/ https://kyivindependent.com/media-russian-nuclear-giant-rosatom-funneled-hundreds-of-millions-euro-in-profits-through-the-netherlands/ https://kyivindependent.com/ukraines-foreign-ministry-says-reports-on-germany-halting-military-aid-are-manipulation/ OTHER SOURCES https://www.eurasiantimes.com/us-blocks-uk-authorization-for-ukraines/#google_vignette https://www.politico.com/news/2024/07/09/ukraine-us-weapons-russia-00167172 https://thehill.com/policy/international/4767636-biden-ukraine-weapons-restrictions/ ~~~~~ USEFUL LINKS: Vatnik Soup https://twitter.com/P_Kallioniemi http://www.medbat.org.ua/en/ Real World News https://kyivindependent.com/ https://www.kyivpost.com/ https://english.nv.ua/ https://www.themoscowtimes.com/ https://meduza.io/en https://meduza.io/ https://novayagazeta.eu/ https://www.newsweek.com/topic/russia... Analysis https://www.ft.com/russia https://www.economist.com/ https://www.foreignaffairs.com/ https://cepa.org/ https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/ ~~~~~

2024-08-18 | Relatives of Russian conscripts are looking for their sons who disappeared after fighting in the Kursk region. “I think Putin doesn’t even know that our sons were sent there.” Reports the Russian oppositional media Mediazona on August 16, 2024. ---------- The Kursk border region is guarded predominantly by conscripts, like many other “second tier” areas, that were previously thought to be safe from large-scale Ukrainian assaults. At the start of Ukraine’s new offensive conscripts found themselves on the front line. But rather than pull them back in favour of experienced and full-time soldiers, Putin seems to be doubling down, and sending more units of untrained and ill-equipped fighters to take on the battle-hardened and highly motivated Ukrainian troops. Contract solders are now surrendering in huge quantities but also dying like flies, to save Putin’s skin. Many of the so-called ‘kontraktniki” have been captured or are listed as missing. New conscripts from other units from other units are being rushed to the border regions, though equally unprepared. But perhaps the scale and ambition of Ukrainian plans to seize extensive further border territory are underestimated and underappreciated both by Russia and by some allies. Authorities have not confirmed the deaths of the conscripts, but reports of some individual deaths are started to come out. 22-year-old Artem Dobrodumsky died in the Kursk region. His obituary was published at the karate sports club where Dobrodumsky trained for many years. According to his coach he died three days before his birthday, but the details of his passing are not known. “All that is known today is that he served in military service and died near Kursk,” according to his coach. Neither the publication nor the coach asks the crucial question “for what did he die?” ---------- Sources: https://zona.media/article/2024/08/16/drafted ---------- 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.