Silicon Curtain

Episoder

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  The Strategic Cost Of Trump’s Putin Alignment: What You Need To Know! 09.10.2026 13min

  Silicon Bites Ep416 | 2026-10-09 | Primarily, he’s working for himself of course. But in serving his own ends, Trump is now overtly helping the enemy to win their genocidal war. After a phone call with Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump announces Russia will pump millions of tonnes of diesel into American and global markets. Within minutes, the US Treasury issues a general licence to make it legal. Putin asks for sanctions relief — trump delivered. Is there any calculus behind this other than wanton appeasement of a murderous dictator? Does Trump believe that Russia’s miniscule contribution to the flows of diesel onto global markets will have any impact on prices? Because it’s unlikely to do that. What it does do, is use the U.S.’s authority to launder Russian blood diesel and create the optics of rehabilitation for a country that should be a pariah. ----------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:Kyiv Independent — "Trump says Russia agreed to supply millions of tons of diesel to US, global markets" (9 Oct 2026)ANI on X, reproducing Trump's full Truth Social post (9 Oct 2026)CNBC — "Trump strikes deal with Putin to supply Russian diesel to U.S. and global markets" (9 Oct 2026)AP via US News — "Trump Says US to Get Diesel From Russia, Relaxing Pressure on Moscow…" (9 Oct 2026)US Treasury (@USTreasury) on X (9 Oct 2026)NBC News — "Trump eases Russia sanctions, says Putin will release diesel amid massive price spikes" (9 Oct 2026)Kyiv Independent — "Exclusive: Putin puts a price on Trump's Ukraine energy truce — Kyiv fears the cost" (9 Oct 2026)The Moscow Times — "Trump Signs Sweeping Russia Sanctions Bill" (19 Sep 2026)Baker Botts — "President Trump Signs Graham Sanctions Act" (Sep 2026)AOL / The Hill — "Zelensky, Merz speak out against US easing Russia oil sanctions" (Mar 2026, background)AOL — "Zelensky furious with Trump as 30-day Russia waiver…" (Mar 2026, background)OFAC — Russia-related General License 134A (19 Mar 2026, background)----------
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  HUMILIATION for Putin as Hell Unleashed in Sochi - Giant Crude Oil 'Grey' Tanker Ablaze! 09.10.2026 8min

  Silicon Bites SW26-226 | 2026-10-09 | HELL IN SOCHI. The sea is safe and clean insists the Kremlin. As the horizon burns with a menacing glow and a monstrous cloud of black smoke. Putin's Riviera burns – and the Kremlin's answer is to swear the sea is clean, despite the evidence that everyone can see for themselves. Sochi. The jewel of Putin's Russia. An Olympic city. Summer court of the Kremlin. The place where the regime goes to pretend the war is somewhere else, and happening to somebody else. On Tuesday evening, 6 October, the war exploded into view. Unavoidable and blazing. ----------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 Internazionale), "Russia says tanker crew rescued in Black Sea after attack set ship ablaze", 6 Oct 2026 Guardian staff and agencies (via AOL), "Naval drone hits oil tanker off Russian resort city Sochi, triggering massive blaze", 8 Oct 2026 RFE/RL, "Oil Tanker Hit By Naval Drones Near Sochi, Sparking Massive Fire On Black Sea", 7 Oct 2026Kyiv Post (Stefan Korshak), "Shadow Tanker Hit by Ukrainian Drones Threatens Spill Off Russia's Black Sea Coast", 8 Oct 2026 Meduza, "Greenpeace reports 25-square-kilometer oil slick in Black Sea after drone attack on tanker off Russia's Sochi coast", 8 Oct 2026The Maritime Executive, "Greenpeace Warns of Environmental Fallout From Tanker Attack in Black Sea", 7 Oct 2026 The Maritime Executive, "Tanker Catches Fire, Spills Oil off Russian Resort Town of Sochi", 6 Oct 2026 The Insider, Aframax Rio tracking history (Russian), 6 Oct 2026UNITED24 Media, "Flames Rise From Tanker Off Sochi After Possible Sea Drone Impact, Video", 6 Oct 2026 Kyiv Independent, "Shadow fleet tanker reportedly ablaze near Russian port city Sochi", 6 Oct 2026 TSN.ua, cargo and destination (citing Mash, ASTRA), 6 Oct 2026 www1.ru (Sochi local media), Sirius beach closure and Plishkin advisory, 6 Oct 2026 ----------
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  Ukraine Strikes Yandex in Huge Blow to Putin - Russia Back to Digital Dark Ages!? 08.10.2026 9min

  Silicon Bites Ep415 | 2026-10-08 | Putin has bet the farm on this war. And today the drones came calling – for the server farms, that is. Ukraine hits Yandex’s Sasovo data centre — in a new phase of the war of consequences for Moscow — Putin tried to make Kyiv unliveable. Now the mirror strategy flips toward Moscow. Did Putin really think he could strike Ukraine without being struck back? ----------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:Meduza — "Ukraine strikes Yandex data center housing two of the company's supercomputers" (8 Oct 2026): https://meduza.io/en/feature/2026/10/08/ukraine-strikes-yandex-data-center-housing-two-of-the-company-s-supercomputersCNBC — "Russia's internet giant Yandex halts operations at major data center after drone attack" (8 Oct 2026): https://www.cnbc.com/2026/10/08/russia-yandex-ukraine-drone-strike-data-center.htmlAFP via Yahoo News — "Drone hits Yandex data centre, in first such attack on Russia" (8 Oct 2026): https://www.yahoo.com/news/world/articles/drone-hits-yandex-data-centre-084549070.htmlFrance 24 — "More than 30 killed in Russian strike on buses in Ukraine's Kramatorsk as Kyiv targets data centre" (8 Oct 2026): https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20261008-russian-strike-buses-kills-at-least-12-ukraine-kramatorsk-kyiv-targets-data-centreKyiv Post — "Ukraine Strikes Yandex Data Center, Russian Oil Refinery Overnight" (8 Oct 2026): https://www.kyivpost.com/post/86416The Record (Recorded Future News) — "Major Yandex data center in Russia hit by Ukrainian drone strike" (8 Oct 2026): https://therecord.media/yandex-russia-drone-ukraineNewsweek via Yahoo News — "Ukraine strikes major data center of Russia's 'Google' in drone attack" (8 Oct 2026): https://www.yahoo.com/news/world/articles/ukraine-strikes-major-data-center-074954554.htmldpa via Yahoo News — "Ukraine strikes Yandex data centre in Russia, firm confirms 'incident'" (8 Oct 2026): https://www.yahoo.com/news/world/articles/ukraine-strikes-yandex-data-centre-091832238.htmlKyiv Independent — front-page briefs on the Sasovo strike and the Defence Ministry's refinery assessment (7–8 Oct 2026): https://kyivindependent.com/Meduza — "Russia has begun striking Kyiv's bridges across the Dnipro for the first time since invading Ukraine" (4 Oct 2026, background): https://meduza.io/en/feature/2026/10/04/russia-has-begun-striking-kyiv-s-bridges-across-the-dnipro-for-the-first-time-since-invading-ukraine----------
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  1181. Terrifying Reality of Ukraine's Mental Health Crisis Inflicted by Russian Aggression! 08.10.2026 36min

  Lisa Woods is Founder and Executive Director of the MedPsy Foundation Inc and MedPsy Foundation Ukraine, focused on psychedelic therapy research and mental health advocacy in Ukraine. She has over 13 years of experience in humanitarian health, including serving as Deputy Health Cluster Coordinator for the World Health Organization (WHO) in Ukraine.----------LINKS:https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisanwoods/https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7497927230010916864/https://medpsyfoundation.org/https://www.medpsy.org.ua/teamhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1imZLn4Wfw----------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----------
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  1123. PLAGUE in Russia - Rumours, Facts and Fears - The Putin Regime 'End of Day' Vibes!? 08.10.2026 32min

  Pyotr Kurzin is host of The Global Gambit podcast, as is an historian of great power politics and the Cold War. He also has Russian British heritage, which gives him a close perspective on the topic. ----------LINKS:https://www.youtube.com/@PKurzinhttps://www.youtube.com/@UCSody-jKZxozgjTP2xddWhQ https://www.linkedin.com/in/pyotrkurzin/ --------------------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----------
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  What You Give a Mass Murderer on Their Birthday? A Pile of Children's Bodies... 07.10.2026 15min

  Silicon Bites Ep414 | 2026-10-07 | What do you give the killer Tsar for his birthday? A tyrant that has everything, and enough money to buy anything, and almost anyone. It’s simple, you give him a pile of dead kids and babies. Putin turns 74 — and his court of sick minions and slaves sought to flatter his ego by flattening an apartment block. This resulted in three dead one-year-olds, five kids killed overall and another seven wounded. and a besieged capital cowering under his wrath. Kyiv is now the front line, and the cruelty has no ceiling, no limits and seemingly no end.WHAT DO YOU GIVE A KILLER FOR HIS BIRTHDAY? On Wednesday 7 October 2026, Vladimir Putin turned 74. His army knew exactly what he would want. Seventy missiles. A residential building in Pryluky turned to rubble while its residents slept. Children pulled out of the concrete. The empire of savages does not send greetings, it sends corpses, blood and grief.----------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 The Print), "At least 24 killed in Ukraine, Zelenskiy condemns one of Russia's most 'vile strikes'", 7 Oct 2026 — https://theprint.in/world/at-least-24-killed-in-ukraine-zelenskiy-condemns-one-of-russias-most-vile-strikes/3064836/Reuters (via GV Wire), "At Least 24 Killed in Ukraine, Zelenskiy Condemns One of Russia's Most 'Vile Strikes'", 7 Oct 2026 — https://gvwire.com/2026/10/07/at-least-24-killed-in-ukraine-zelenskiy-condemns-one-of-russias-most-vile-strikes/Reuters (via News Tribune), "Russia launches heavy strikes at Ukraine, killing at least 20", 7 Oct 2026 — https://www.newstribune.com/news/2026/oct/07/russia-launches-heavy-strikes-at-ukraine-killing-at-least-20/ABC News, "Russia hits Ukrainian apartment buildings in deadly overnight strike, Zelenskyy says", 7 Oct 2026 — https://abcnews.com/International/russia-hits-ukrainian-apartment-buildings-deadly-overnight-strike/story?id=137058213Euromaidan Press, "Oleksandr, Kyrylo and Serhii, all aged one, and eight-year-old Maksym were killed in Ukraine's city by Russian strike on Putin's birthday", 7 Oct 2026 — https://euromaidanpress.com/2026/10/07/oleksandr-kyrylo-and-serhii-all-aged-one-and-eight-year-old-maksym-were-killed-in-ukraines-city-by-russian-strike-on-putins-birthday/Euromaidan Press, "14 dead in Pryluky, two each in Kyiv, Kremenchuk, and Oleksandriia: Russia's night of 70 missiles", 7 Oct 2026 — https://euromaidanpress.com/2026/10/07/five-dead-in-pryluky-two-each-in-kyiv-kremenchuk-and-oleksandriia-russias-night-of-70-missiles/The Kyiv Independent, "Russia slams Kyiv in mass missile, drone attack on Putin's 74th birthday", 7 Oct 2026 — https://kyivindependent.com/russia-slams-kyiv-in-mass-missile-drone-attack-on-putins-74th-birthday/The Kyiv Independent, "Zelensky warns Russia preparing mass strike", 6 Oct 2026 — https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-warns-russia-preparing-mass-strike/The Kyiv Independent, "Russia attacks Kyiv as drone debris falls into residential area, sets cars ablaze", 6 Oct 2026 — https://kyivindependent.com/russia-attacks-kyiv-as-drone-debris-falls-into-residential-area-sets-cars-ablaze/----------
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  BOLD and Risky - Russia Challenges NATO - Probing Borders and with Provocations! 07.10.2026 12min

  Silicon Bites SW26-225 | 2026-10-07 | Russia is Testing the locks. Probes on NATO’s sovereign borders are intensifying, and with them comes increased risk, from a bolder and more desperate Russia. Testing the locks: armed men on Latvia’s border, drones exploding in Moldova, a Russian helicopter over Poland. Putin is probing NATO for the weakest seam in the defensive cloth. The only question is whether we can find the strength to defend ourselves before he finds it.----------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:Kyiv Independent — "Armed individuals from Belarus threaten Latvian soldiers at border, followed by another breach" (6–7 Oct 2026)TVP World — "Armed escorts push migrants towards Latvia as masked men breach border" (Oct 2026)LIGA.net — "Armed, masked individuals threatened Latvian military personnel at the border with Belarus" (Oct 2026)Mezha (citing Ukrainska Pravda) — "Latvia Reports Belarus Border Provocations After Masked Intruders Damage Surveillance System" (7 Oct 2026)UA.News (citing RMF24) — "Armed men threatened Latvian military at border" (Oct 2026)Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs — protest note on August 2023 border violation near MusteikaMeduza — "Poland says Russian military helicopter violated its airspace" (23 Sep 2026)Kyiv Independent — "Russian Mi-8 helicopter violates Polish airspace near Kaliningrad, Poland says" (23 Sep 2026)TVP World — "Russian military helicopter briefly breaches Polish airspace" (23 Sep 2026)Kyiv Independent — "NATO jets shoot down drone over Lithuanian airspace after it flew in from Belarus" (15 Sep 2026)AP via ABC News — "NATO jets down drone in Lithuanian airspace" (15 Sep 2026)AP via FOX 5 San Diego — explosive device found on Lithuanian drone (15 Sep 2026)----------
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  1115. Russian History is a CRIME SCENE - and a Source for the Evils of Russia's Behavior!? 06.10.2026 1t 3min

  Today I’m speaking to David Satter, journalist, and historian with unique insights into how the repression of the past, is having terrible consequences for present day Russia. David has written extensively about Russia and the Soviet Union, especially the decline and fall of the USSR and rise of post-Soviet Russia. David Satter became the first American journalist to be expelled from Russia since the Cold War in December 2013. From 1976 to 1982 David was the Moscow correspondent of the Financial Times, and then became a special correspondent on Soviet affairs for The Wall Street Journal. He is author of several books that are essential reading to help understand the origins of the current crisis, including the brilliantly named ----------BOOKS:Darkness at Dawn: The Rise of the Russian Criminal State (2003)It Was a Long Time Ago, and It Never Happened Anyway (2011)The Less You Know, The Better You Sleep (2016)Never Speak to Strangers and other writing from Russia and the Soviet Union (2020) ----------LINKS:https://davidsatter.org/ https://x.com/DavidSatterhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Satterhttps://www.hudson.org/experts/362-david-satterhttps://www.fpri.org/contributor/david-satter/ ----------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----------
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  1190. Ukraine has no Option Except to SURVIVE, Fight and Build Under Extreme Duress! 06.10.2026 46min

  Julia Ilnytska is a Ukrainian people-and-operations professional, interviewer, and the founder and host of iUkraine, an English-language podcast focused on the people building modern Ukraine. The project was created to shift international attention beyond the war itself and towards the entrepreneurs, technologists, defence innovators, communicators, investors and civic leaders shaping Ukraine’s future. Ilnytska describes iUkraine as a platform for conversations about a country that is not only defending itself, but continuing to build, innovate and create under extreme pressure.Through iUkraine, she has interviewed figures working across defence technology, entrepreneurship, strategic communications, diplomacy and Ukraine’s international image, presenting their work primarily to an international audience. The podcast’s underlying argument is that Ukraine should be understood not solely through the destruction caused by Russia’s invasion, but through the remarkable capacity of Ukrainians to adapt, innovate and build institutions and businesses during wartime. ----------LINKS: https://www.youtube.com/@UC1LXlPzrCrbGG69YDn3kP5A https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-ilnytska/https://www.instagram.com/july_ilnytska/https://base.monobank.ua/DYMCPXXLcNKiawhttps://www.patreon.com/cw/iukraine2025/membership----------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----------
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  Just SURRENDER! Does the Pattern of Trump's Decisions and Rhetoric Benefit Putin!? 06.10.2026 30min

  Silicon Bites Ep413 | 2026-10-06 | TERRITORIAL SURRENDER AS NEGOTIATING FRAMEWORKThe policy did not stop at the dismantling. It escalated into affirmative acceptance of the maximalist Russian territorial agenda. April 2025: The U.S. peace proposal, developed through envoy Steve Witkoff and leaked to Reuters, proposed:- Legal U.S. recognition of Crimea as Russian territory.- De facto recognition of Russian control over other occupied Ukrainian territories.- Ukraine abandoning its constitutional NATO membership aspiration.- Lifting of sanctions imposed on Russia since 2014.- Vague, non-Article-5-adjacent security guarantees for Ukraine. ----------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:Simon Shuster / The Atlantic via Meduza English — "The Atlantic: Trump backs plan to ease Russia sanctions in exchange for political prisoners without waiting for the Ukraine war to end" (29 September 2026) RBC-Ukraine — "'Magic of business' instead of pressure: Trump backs plan to ease sanctions on Russia" (29 September 2026) UNN English — "Trump agreed to ease sanctions against the Russian Federation in exchange for political prisoners - The Atlantic" (29-30 September 2026)Kyiv Post via Politico — "Trump Leaves Key US Allies Out of NATO Group Meeting" (1 October 2026)Institute for the Study of War / Critical Threats — Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, 27 September 2026 UNITED24 Media — "Putin Wants Ukraine to Capitulate by Spring 2027 Through Intensified Strikes, ISW Says" (28-29 September 2026) Reuters via NYT reporting — "US-Russia talks on Ukraine involve multi-billion-dollar oil deal - NYT reports" (3 October 2026)Reuters via Malay Mail — "Teachers, dissidents and a Nobel laureate — the 123 prisoners freed in Belarus-US sanctions deal" (14 December 2025) AP via Yahoo — "Belarus frees 52 political prisoners as US lifts some sanctions on its national airline" (September 2025)AP via Yahoo — "Belarus releases 250 political prisoners in a deal with the US to lift some sanctions" (March 2026) Reuters — "Trump administration disbands task force targeting Russian oligarchs" (6 February 2025)Reuters — "US defense chief Hegseth says return to Ukraine's pre-2014 borders not realistic" (12 February 2025) ----------
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  Trump's BETRAYAL of Ukraine: Why This Pattern Can't Be Ignored 05.10.2026 20min

  Silicon Bites Ep412 | 2026-10-05 | The treachery is parading in plain sight. These patterns of implicit betrayal of Ukraine were there from the very start of the Trump regime, but we’ll unpack them in more detail in this episode. And there is a new plan to let Putin off the hook, even before the aggression against Ukraine ends. Easing sanctions on Russia in exchange for the release of Russian political prisoners – a policy of such moral and political degeneracy, that it could only, have come from the Trump White House. The delusional assumptions underpinning it are legion: - reintegrate Russia into the global economy;- expand Trump's negotiations with the Kremlin beyond the intractable war in Ukraine, which his envoys have failed to end after more than a year of diplomacy;- bolster Trump's case for his long-awaited Nobel Peace Prize.They are not three Ukraine-related objectives. They are only to benefit Trump. ----------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:Simon Shuster / The Atlantic via Meduza English — "The Atlantic: Trump backs plan to ease Russia sanctions in exchange for political prisoners without waiting for the Ukraine war to end" (29 September 2026) RBC-Ukraine — "'Magic of business' instead of pressure: Trump backs plan to ease sanctions on Russia" (29 September 2026) UNN English — "Trump agreed to ease sanctions against the Russian Federation in exchange for political prisoners - The Atlantic" (29-30 September 2026)Kyiv Post via Politico — "Trump Leaves Key US Allies Out of NATO Group Meeting" (1 October 2026)Institute for the Study of War / Critical Threats — Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, 27 September 2026 UNITED24 Media — "Putin Wants Ukraine to Capitulate by Spring 2027 Through Intensified Strikes, ISW Says" (28-29 September 2026) Reuters via NYT reporting — "US-Russia talks on Ukraine involve multi-billion-dollar oil deal - NYT reports" (3 October 2026)Reuters via Malay Mail — "Teachers, dissidents and a Nobel laureate — the 123 prisoners freed in Belarus-US sanctions deal" (14 December 2025) AP via Yahoo — "Belarus frees 52 political prisoners as US lifts some sanctions on its national airline" (September 2025)AP via Yahoo — "Belarus releases 250 political prisoners in a deal with the US to lift some sanctions" (March 2026) Reuters — "Trump administration disbands task force targeting Russian oligarchs" (6 February 2025)Reuters — "US defense chief Hegseth says return to Ukraine's pre-2014 borders not realistic" (12 February 2025) ----------
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  1121. Putin FAILED to Understand Ukraine - Does he Calculate Western Weakness Accurately!? 04.10.2026 47min

  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----------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/-----------
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  1122. Behind Closed Doors: Trump's NATO Moves That Could Destroy Everything! 04.10.2026 42min

  David DeBatto is host of the ‘No Delusion Zone’ podcast @NoDelusionZone is a retired U.S. Army Counterintelligence Special Agent, a geopolitical analyst, writer, and podcaster. David is an Iraq war veteran who served as Team Leader of a Tactical Human Intelligence Team (THT) in operations within Iraq and is also a former police officer. David is considered too conservative for the progressive left and too independent minded for the radical right and seeks to challenge political dogma and the naked self-interest of politicians. ----------LINKS:@NoDelusionZone https://www.protectingtherepublic.com/podcasthttps://www.protectingtherepublic.com/https://x.com/ddebattohttps://www.kyivpost.com/authors/743----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------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 Przemyślhttps://kharpp.com/NOR DOG Animal Rescuehttps://www.nor-dog.org/home/----------
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  1120. Putin Wants to Erase Ukraine - This Will Get SO MUCH WORSE if WE Allow it to! 04.10.2026 1t 5min

  Cormac Smith is a former UK government communications specialist and diplomat with extensive experience of Ukraine, Russian disinformation and strategic communications. He served as a strategic communications adviser to Ukraine’s foreign minister while attached to the British Embassy in Kyiv, becoming the first foreign national embedded within Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During roughly 18 months in Ukraine, he also advised the National Security and Defence Council, NATO’s mission in Kyiv and several Ukrainian ministries on crisis and strategic communications. After returning to the UK Cabinet Office in 2018, Smith worked on the British government’s response to Kremlin disinformation following the Salisbury Novichok attack, giving him direct experience of how Russian information operations accompany covert and hostile-state activity. His expertise lies particularly in counter-disinformation, strategic communications, narrative warfare and institutional resilience against Russian influence operations.----------Shaun Pinner is a former British Army soldier who later served in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, giving him rare first-hand experience of both the battlefield and Russian captivity. Born in Watford, he served for nine years with the Royal Anglian Regiment, including UN operations in Bosnia, before moving to Ukraine and joining its military in 2018. He served with the 36th Separate Marine Brigade and fought during the defence of Mariupol after Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. Captured by Russian forces, Pinner spent around six months as a prisoner of war and was sentenced to death by the Russian-backed authorities in occupied Donetsk before being released in a prisoner exchange in September 2022. He has described being subjected to torture and psychological abuse in captivity. Ukraine subsequently awarded him the Order of Courage, 3rd Degree, and he has since briefed NATO personnel on his battlefield and POW experience. He is the author of 'Live. Fight. Survive.', an account of combat, capture and imprisonment.----------LINKS:https://shaunpinner.substack.com/podcasthttps://shaunpinner.com/https://www.youtube.com/@Live.Fight.Survivehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaun_Pinnerhttps://www.penguin.co.uk/authors/300663/shaun-pinnerhttps://cepa.org/author/sean-pinner/https://www.instagram.com/shaunpinnerua/----------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----------
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  1118. Putin Brings Russia to BREAKING POINT as he Requisitions ALL Resources for WAR! 04.10.2026 38min

  Jason Jay Smart is a political adviser who has lived and worked in Ukraine, Moldova, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Latin America. Due to his work with the democratic opposition to Vladimir Putin, Smart was made persona non grata for life by Russia in 2010. Jason is a Special Correspondent at the Kyiv Post. It’s the state of US support for Ukraine that we will discuss today.----------LINKS:https://jasonjaysmart.com/ https://www.kyivpost.com/authors/5 https://americanpoliticalservices.com/https://www.facebook.com/jasonjaysmarthttps://twitter.com/officejjsmart ----------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.----------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----------
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  Russia STEALS Foreign Assets in THEFT BINGE to Prolong his Senseless Criminal War! 04.10.2026 13min

  Silicon Bites SW26-224 | 2026-10-02 | Putin seizes Nestlé, Auchan and Leroy Merlin assets. One part of me wants to cheer, as this is predictable and inevitable punishment for those companies that thought they could remain in Russia and profit from death. On the other hand, it marks a new low in Russia’s slide away from a market economy and towards criminal, kleptocratic authoritarianism. ----------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:Ukrainska Pravda (English) — "Putin seizes Russian assets of Auchan, Nestlé and Leroy Merlin", 18 Sept 2026 — https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2026/09/18/8053993/The Moscow Times / Reuters — "Kremlin Seizes Nestlé and Auchan Assets in Latest Business Crackdown", 18 Sept 2026 — https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2026/09/18/kremlin-seizes-nestle-and-auchan-assets-in-latest-business-crackdown-a93745Bloomberg via SWI swissinfo.ch — "Russia Ties Nestle, Auchan Asset Grabs to Europe Aid for Ukraine", 18 Sept 2026 — https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/russia-ties-nestle%2c-auchan-asset-grabs-to-europe-aid-for-ukraine/92078072AFP via France 24 — "Russia seizes assets of Swiss food giant Nestle and three French firms", 18 Sept 2026 — https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20260918-russia-seizes-assets-of-swiss-food-giant-nestle-and-three-french-firmsEuromaidan Press — "'A warning to companies that remain': Russia takes control of Nestlé and Auchan's assets", 18 Sept 2026 — https://euromaidanpress.com/2026/09/18/russia-takes-control-of-nestle-and-auchan-assets/AP via The Washington Times — "Kremlin orders businesses seized", 18 Sept 2026 — https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/sep/18/kremlin-orders-businesses-seized/CNN — "Kremlin seizes Nestlé's assets in Russia as crackdown on private business grows", 18 Sept 2026 — https://edition.cnn.com/2026/09/18/business/kremlin-seizes-nestle-assets-russia-intlCharter97 — "Putin Signed A Decree Ordering The Confiscation Of Auchan And Nestlé's Assets In Russia", 18 Sept 2026 — https://charter97.org/en/news/2026/9/18/698850UA News — "The Kremlin explained the transfer of Auchan and Nestlé's assets to external management", 18 Sept 2026 — https://ua.news/en/world/kreml-poiasniv-peredachu-aktiviv-auchan-i-nestle-pid-zovnishnie-upravlinniaEuronews — "Risky to stay, costly to leave: French companies active in Russia face dilemma", 4 Nov 2025 (background: Leroy Merlin / Auchan revenue and tax rankings) — https://euronews.com/2025/11/04/risky-to-stay-costly-to-leave-french-companies-active-in-russia-face-dilemmaEuronews — "German companies pay Russia €17.2bn in taxes…" (KSE / B4Ukraine / Squeezing Putin data; Nezir Sinani), 1 Nov 2025 — https://www.euronews.com/2025/11/01/german-companies-pay-russia-172-billion-in-taxes-raising-concerns-of-funding-its-war-in-ukB4Ukraine — "How global firms bankrolled Russia's war chest in 2024" — https://b4ukraine.org/whats-new/how-global-firms-bankrolled-russias-war-chest-in-2024----------
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  Putin's CURSE: Mad Tsar Returns Russia to Horrors of 16th Century of Ivan the Terrible! 04.10.2026 16min

  Silicon Bites Ep411 | 2026-10-04 | Holy bones cannot save Putin – his curse is upon Russia. And now in a development of profound absurdity, those same saint’s bones from the 14th century, dug up and sent to the front, to save Mother Russia from the misfortune it brought upon itself have been lost. Abandoned at the front as Russian troops chaotically fled from Ukrainian advances. This episode is about the absurdity of Russia, it’s miserable retreat from modernity, and decent into tyranny and absurdity. There is cruel humour in this, but also we cannot forget the tragedies that unfold daily, as Putin intensifies his genocidal imperial assault upon Ukraine. ----------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:The Moscow Times — "Nearly 200 People Under Observation After Irkutsk Lab Worker Dies From Plague" (2 Oct 2026)Meduza — "Hospital in Russia's Irkutsk region quarantined amid reports that a patient died of pneumonic plague" (2 Oct 2026)Nasha Niva — "In Irkutsk Oblast, a scientific institute lab assistant died of plague" (citing Lyudi Baikala, Oct 2026)UNITED24 Media — "Russia Hides Potential Pneumonic Plague Outbreak After Fatal Lab Breach" (3 Oct 2026)Ukrainian News Agency — "In russia, lab technician at institute broke test tube containing dangerous infection…" (2 Oct 2026)Reuters via KFGO — "Russia draws up measures to control bear population after spate of deadly attacks" (30 Sep 2026)CNN via ABC17 — "Deadly bear attacks are rattling Russian Siberia. Why now?" (2 Oct 2026)US News (Reuters) — "Seventh Person Killed by Bear in Russian Region in a Month as Spate of Attacks Grows" (25 Sep 2026)Meduza — "Russia has a bear problem — attacks are reported almost daily" (11 Sep 2026)The Moscow Times — "Russian Orthodox Church Denies That Troops Lost Medieval Warrior Prince's Relics in Ukraine" (1 Oct 2026)UAWire — "Russian troops reportedly lose Dmitry Donskoy relics during retreat near Lyman"UkrMedia — "The Russian Orthodox Church has denied reports that Donskoy's relics have been lost" (Oct 2026)CNN — "Why Russia is sending dead princes and saints into battle" (26 Sep 2026)Meduza — "Russian officials are calling the discovery of a medieval prince's relics a miracle…" (4 Sep 2026)UATV / Center for Countering Disinformation — "ROC Transporting Part Of Prince Dmitry Donskoy's Relics To Front…" (Sep 2026)----------
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  Winter of Death? Trump’s MALIGN Role in Ukraine’s Critical Hour! 03.10.2026 20min

  Silicon Bites Ep410 | 2026-10-03 | Trump is doing everything to help Putin win his war, before summer of next year. Does he have a sense that Russia will struggle to mount new offensive operations beyond that point? Or do his hubris and delusion suggest to him that Ukrainians will capitulate after a cold winter of being battered daily? He could not be more wrong – every strike, every atrocity only serves to remind Ukrainians, that there is no worse fate, than to be occupied by Russia. This winter period is crucial – Putin thinks he can win, and Trump is creating the space and context for this to happen. We need to be truthful and clear-eyed. This is no more nor less than being complicit in the horrific genocidal slaughter of Ukrainians, ahead of winter. Russia is preparing the ground for a genocidal act – the attempt to make Ukrainian cities unliveable. Trump’s decisions, policies and rhetoric have produced identifiable advantages for Moscow and imposed greater immediate costs on Ukraine and U.S. allies than on Russia, since 2025.----------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:Simon Shuster / The Atlantic via Meduza English — "The Atlantic: Trump backs plan to ease Russia sanctions in exchange for political prisoners without waiting for the Ukraine war to end" (29 September 2026) RBC-Ukraine — "'Magic of business' instead of pressure: Trump backs plan to ease sanctions on Russia" (29 September 2026) UNN English — "Trump agreed to ease sanctions against the Russian Federation in exchange for political prisoners - The Atlantic" (29-30 September 2026)Kyiv Post via Politico — "Trump Leaves Key US Allies Out of NATO Group Meeting" (1 October 2026)Institute for the Study of War / Critical Threats — Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, 27 September 2026 UNITED24 Media — "Putin Wants Ukraine to Capitulate by Spring 2027 Through Intensified Strikes, ISW Says" (28-29 September 2026) Reuters via NYT reporting — "US-Russia talks on Ukraine involve multi-billion-dollar oil deal - NYT reports" (3 October 2026)Reuters via Malay Mail — "Teachers, dissidents and a Nobel laureate — the 123 prisoners freed in Belarus-US sanctions deal" (14 December 2025) AP via Yahoo — "Belarus frees 52 political prisoners as US lifts some sanctions on its national airline" (September 2025)AP via Yahoo — "Belarus releases 250 political prisoners in a deal with the US to lift some sanctions" (March 2026) Reuters — "Trump administration disbands task force targeting Russian oligarchs" (6 February 2025)Reuters — "US defense chief Hegseth says return to Ukraine's pre-2014 borders not realistic" (12 February 2025) ----------
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  'Club of the Obedient' and Weak: Trump's Secret Strategy to Break the NATO Alliance! 01.10.2026 19min

  Silicon Bites Ep409 | 2026-10-01 | Trump wants compliant allies – supine, dependent, insecure – and possibly divided. Now his animosities and resentments, intrigues and plotting may finally be tearing NATO apart. In this episode: the Pentagon's club of the obedient: why Eldridge Colby's formation of a NATO inner circle heralds the death of the alliance by other means, and why Europe must refuse to play this self-destructive game. Putin is getting all his Christmas presents early, courtesy of Trump. ----------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:Politico, "Trump administration leaves key allies out of NATO meeting," 30 September 2026 (original report; paywalled/blocked at time of drafting, content verified via secondary outlets below): https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/30/trump-nato-allies-left-out-01100310Kyiv Post, "Trump Leaves Key US Allies Out of NATO Group Meeting," 1 October 2026: https://www.kyivpost.com/post/85825Babel, "Politico: Pentagon blocks key allies from NATO meeting," 1 October 2026: https://babel.ua/en/amp/news/130614-politico-pentagon-blocks-key-allies-from-nato-meetingTürkiye Today, "Pentagon leaves UK, France and Baltics out of NATO meeting in Poland: Report," 1 October 2026: https://www.turkiyetoday.com/world/pentagon-leaves-uk-france-and-baltics-out-of-nato-meeting-in-poland-report-3229362SFG Media, "Pentagon Did Not Invite Britain, France and the Baltic States to Discuss NATO's Future," 1 October 2026: https://sfg.media/en/a/pentagon-excludes-allies-nato-future-talks/Euronews, "US troop drawdown in Romania signals wider US pivot away from Europe," 3 November 2025: https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/11/03/us-troop-drawdown-in-romania-signals-wider-us-pivot-away-from-europeReuters via AOL, "Hegseth expected to follow Rubio in skipping NATO ministers' meeting," January 2026: https://www.aol.com/articles/hegseth-expected-skip-nato-ministers-154236573.htmlPolskie Radio, "US defense secretary expected to skip NATO meeting next month," 29 January 2026: https://www.polskieradio.pl/395/7785/Artykul/3640935,us-defense-secretary-expected-to-skip-nato-meeting-next-monthReuters via AOL, "Pentagon policy chief calls for NATO based on 'partnership rather than dependency'," 12 February 2026: https://www.aol.com/articles/nato-more-based-partnership-instead-082732347.htmlAl Jazeera, "US considers suspending Spain from NATO, reported internal email suggests," 24 April 2026: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/4/24/us-weighs-retaliation-against-nato-allies-over-iran-war-divisions-reutersForeign Policy, World Brief on Pentagon email (Spain/Falklands), 24 April 2026: https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/04/24/us-pentagon-email-nato-spain-uk-falkland-islands-iranAaj English TV (Reuters wire), "Pentagon email floats suspending Spain from NATO, other steps over Iran rift," April 2026: https://english.aaj.tv/news/amp/330457382----------
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  1119. The War is HERE - And Without a Theory of Victory NATO Countries are Vulnerable! 01.10.2026 32min

  Lt. Gen. (retired) Ben Hodges is the former Commanding General of United States Army Europe, a post he held from 2014 to 2017 during the initial Russian invasion of Ukraine and NATO's subsequent reinforcement of its eastern flank. A 1980 West Point graduate and infantry officer, he commanded at company, battalion and brigade level, including the 1st Brigade Combat Team of the 101st Airborne Division during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He later served as Commander of NATO Allied Land Command in İzmir.Since retirement, Hodges has become a prominent analyst of European security, NATO logistics, Russia and Ukraine. He serves as a NATO Senior Mentor for Logistics, is associated with GLOBSEC's Future of Security and Defence Council, previously held CEPA's Pershing Chair in Strategic Studies, and co-authored Future War and the Defence of Europe. ----------LINKS:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Hodgeshttps://x.com/general_ben?lang=enhttps://www.globsec.org/who-we-are/our-people/lieutenant-general-retired-ben-hodgeshttps://www.rusi.org/people/hodges-0https://www.thecipherbrief.com/experts/ben-hodges----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------DESCRIPTION:Ben Hodges on Western Will, Russia’s Escalation, and a Path to Ukrainian VictoryJonathan interviews retired Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges about what they describe as a “sub-admission” war in which the West fails to openly acknowledge Russia is at war with it, undermining political will, policy coherence, and a defined end state. They discuss Russia’s rising risk-taking, including the Leipzig airport explosives drone incident and an underwhelming German response, arguing Moscow fills the space created by Western inaction and is rarely made to pay meaningful, unanticipated costs (including over frozen Russian assets). Hodges criticizes U.S. leadership under President Trump and urges Europe to “defeat Russia first” by enabling Ukraine to expel Russian forces, which would also signal resolve to China and isolate Iran. They contrast Ukraine’s infrastructure-strike exhaustion strategy with Russia’s strategy of erasure, warn about an accelerating drone arms race, and note civilians’ constrained options under intensified strikes. Hodges argues strategic bombing is not decisive, highlights Ukraine’s growing capacity to damage Russia’s oil and gas revenue and to conduct integrated combined-arms operations, and closes by stressing war as a test of will.----------EPISODES:00:00 War Is a Test of Will01:08 Naming the Conflict03:10 Russia Fills the Space05:19 Seizing the Initiative07:21 Why the West Hasn’t Mobilized09:26 Leadership and Defeat Russia First12:24 Theories of Victory16:17 Europe’s Crocodile Strategy19:32 Drone Arms Race Reality21:35 Life Under Airstrikes25:19 Why Strategic Bombing Won’t Win27:36 Combined Arms Hope29:34 Final Warning on Will30:25 Support the Channel----------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----------