Silicon Curtain - podcast cover

Silicon Curtain

Jonathan Finkwww.youtube.com
Become a Paid Subscriber: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/siliconcurtain/subscribe A podcast about propaganda, digital disinformation, politics, corruption, hybrid warfare, weaponised conspiracy theories, social echo chambers and digital dystopias. 1984, Authoritarian, Autocracy, Autocrat, Big Brother, Brainwashing, Cold war, Cold war propaganda, Communism, Conflict, Conspiracy theories, Control, Cults, Cyber warfare, Deception, Dictator, Dictatorship, Digital dystopia, Digital media, Disinformation, Echo chambers, Economic sanctions, Fascist, Fake news, Foreign correspondents, Foreign policy, Fossil fuel sanctions, George Orwell, History, Hybrid warfare, Industrial disinfo
Last refreshed:
Follow this podcast in the Metacast mobile app to refresh it and see new episodes.
Download Metacast podcast app
Podcasts are better in Metacast mobile app
Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more

Episodes

729. Livestream - Trump Turns on Putin? Let's not get Excited Unless Actions Follow Trump's 'harsh' Words

Your support is massively appreciated! SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon CurtainNEXT EVENTS - LVIV, KYIV AND ODESA THIS MAY AND JUNE.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur first live events this year in Lviv and Kyiv were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run a minimum of 12 events ...

May 29, 20252 hr 5 minSeason 4Ep. 729

728. Anna Danylchuk - Russia's Dark Beginning and the Dark End of Europe's Last (and Most Brutal) Empire.

Anna Danylchuk has been creating a war diary since the early days of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia in 2022. Anna Danylchuk aims to tell the truth about Ukraine and Russia’s war and cut through the noise and propaganda. Anna is passionate about the beauty and independence of her country, and communicates this powerfully in her videos, in a clear and honest way.----------LINKS: @AnnafromUkraine https://www.buymeacoffee.com/annafromukraineMy interview with Anna in Lviv - hosted on he...

May 28, 202546 minSeason 4Ep. 728

Silicon Bites # 147 - The Fake Peace is Over as Trump Loses Interest and Caves in to Putin's Demands

Edition No147 | 26-05-2025 - Trump may be inferring that Putin has lost his mind and is behaving out of character with mindless violence. But Trump has already clearly abandoned the peace process and is well on the way to washing his hands of the war, the peace and Ukraine. By the way, Putin is not mad, and the current violence is totally characteristic of his regime. But Trump clearly is not partial to history, facts or evidence. We are in the realm of the goldfish memory, where history is what...

May 26, 202513 min

711. Valerii Pekar - Make Russia Small Again is the Slogan but Decolonizing Russia is the Strategic Objective

Valerii Pekar has been an entrepreneur since 1992. He serves as an adjunct professor at Kyiv-Mohyla Business School, the Business School and School of Public Management of Ukrainian Catholic University, Open University of Maidan, and the Ukrainian Academy of Leadership. He is the author of four books and was a member of the National Reforms Council from 2014 to 2016, also advising Ukraine’s Ministers of Economic Development and Trade during that time. Valerii is currently the Chairman of the Boa...

May 26, 202515 minSeason 4Ep. 711

705. Angelina Kariakina - Ukraine's Existence is Non-Negotiable by the Kremlin or Washington

Angelina Kariakina is a journalist, researcher, and co-founder of the Public Interest Journalism Lab in Ukraine. She has worked as a journalist for over 17 years – with print media, TV, and online. Angelina Kariakina is a journalist and media manager. In 2020 she co-founded the Public Interest Journalism Lab. She is currently the general producer of news at Suspilne – a Ukrainian public Broadcaster. In 2011, Kariakina joined the Euronews Kyiv bureau, and she covered Ukrainian political and socia...

May 25, 202524 minSeason 4Ep. 705

Silicon Bites #146 - Where is Taurus Merz or is this Just Another Empty Threat that Emboldens Putin?

Edition No146 | 25-05-2025 - In a clear indication that peace is the last thing on Putin’s mind, overnight on May 25th Russia attacked Kyiv and other Ukrainian regions with drones and missiles, in an attack that may constitute the largest of the war, and certainly the largest over several nights. The bombardment killed at least a dozen people including three children, according to local officials. Russia launched 69 missiles and 298 drones, according to Ukraine's Air Force.The attack coincides w...

May 25, 202521 min

725. Joe Lindsley - It's Now Clear What a Disaster Biden's Ukraine Policy has been in Extending the War

Joe Lindsley is a traveller and a writer, and American reporting on Chicago's WGN Radio from Ukraine each and every weekday of Russia's full-scale war. He once was protégé to Fox News founder Roger Ailes, but Lindsley escaped that frenzied world where power mattered more than truth. He came to Lviv for a Ukrainian Catholic University journalism conference on Information Overload, AI, and Responsibility. Then the Coronavirus shut down world travel, and he stayed to build a better vision for the m...

May 24, 20251 hr 7 minSeason 4Ep. 725

Silicon Bites #145 - "You Want a Ceasefire, and I Want Your Death." Threatens Propagandist Solovyov.

Edition No145 | 23-05-2025 - Julia Davis has penned a superb article, published on CEPA’s website. She describes the Kremlin’s propagandists as being in ebullient mood as they anticipate the disengagement of the US from mediating in the Ukraine conflict. This is what they wanted all along, and Trump is threatening to give them exactly what they were craving. Normalization on the world stage, and absolute impunity to continue the war. Don’t look to the sterile public statements and press releases...

May 23, 20258 min

726. Operator Starsky - Invasion of the Toilet Snatchers - Why Envy Drives Russian Theft and Aggression

Today I’m speaking with Operator Starsky, a former Ukrainian National Guardian, blogger, and inspiration for everyone who is following the war, and supporting a Ukrainian victory. He has created one of the most popular and original YouTube channels dedicated to the international community. I’m not sure you need an introduction – I’m sure most people watching this channel will have seen your videos! ----------LINKS:https://www.youtube.com/@PropagandaStudyInstitutehttp://psi-eu.org/https://www.you...

May 23, 202555 minSeason 4Ep. 726

724. Konstantin Samoilov - Trump Admits that "Putin Only Wants to Wage War" Not Find Peace

Welcome to our monthly conversation with Konstantin, who is one of the most respected voices on YouTube about what is happening Inside Russia. Konstantin Samoilov is a well-known YouTuber whose channel ‘Inside Russia’ comments insightfully on Russia’s decent into authoritarianism over the last few years. But now, like many others, he’s outside Russia, with no idea of when he can return there. ----------LINKS: ⁨@INSIDERUSSIA⁩ https://www.patreon.com/insiderussiaINSIDE RUSSIA is a source of curren...

May 22, 20251 hr 2 minSeason 4Ep. 724

712. Olena Hrazhdan - The Economics of War and Resilience in Ukraine and Using the Frozen Russian Assets.

Olena Hrazhdan is a business journalist specializing in finance, macroeconomics, retail market and policy making.----------LINKS:https://www.kyivpost.com/authors/1062https://www.linkedin.com/in/olena-grazhdan-507b86171/https://x.com/OlenaHrazhdanhttps://bsky.app/profile/olenahrazhdan.bsky.social----------Your support is massively appreciated! SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon CurtainNEXT EVENTS - LVIV, KYIV AND ODESA ...

May 21, 202535 minSeason 4Ep. 712

Silicon Curtain #144 - Russians Just "Don't Care" About the War - Radical Lack of Empathy is Issue

Edition No144 | 20-05-2025 - Journalist Ekaterina Barabash apparently escaped from house arrest, and fled Russia in May 2025. Russian film critic and journalist Ekaterina Barabash has penned an extraordinary article in the Kyiv Independent confirming what many realistic ‘Russia watchers’ have suspected through most of the full-scale war. Most Russians ‘don’t care about the war’ she claims.----------This is not a story about so-called good Russians and bad Russians. I’ve always felt that was a ve...

May 21, 202519 min

Silicon Bites #143 - Putin's Next Phase of Peace Negotiations - Threat, Intimidation and Mass Murder

Edition No143 | 18-05-2025 - Ukraine’s military intelligence HUR reports it has information indicating Russia intends to conduct a training launch of an RS-24 "Yars" intercontinental ballistic missile during the night of May 19. It says the launch is meant to "intimidate Ukraine" and that the missile will be equipped with a training warhead. Russia will allegedly launch an intercontinental ballistic missile tonight with the intent of intimidating the USA, Europe & Ukraine. The RS-24 Yars ICB...

May 18, 202510 min

695. Howard Amos - Where Russia Begins in a Country that Fails to Understand Where it's Territory Ends

Howard Amos is a writer and journalist, who has been published by outlets including The Guardian, Newsweek, Foreign Policy, The Associated Press and The New Republic. Raised in London, he spent a year living in Russia’s Pskov Region before working for almost a decade as a correspondent in Moscow. He left Russia in the days after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and, based out of Armenia, did a year-long stint as editor-in-chief of The Moscow Times in exile. He now lives in Edinburgh.---------...

May 17, 202555 minSeason 4Ep. 695

706. Kateryna Zarembo - Ukraine’s Sun is Ascending as the Imperial Militarism of Moscow Burns Itself Out.

Kateryna Zarembo is a researcher, lecturer, translator, and author who has long combined academic, literary, and policy work. Since August 2024, she has also served as a volunteer combat medic with the Hospitallers Medical Battalion. From 2010 to 2019, she worked at the New Europe Center, focusing on European integration, Ukraine’s security, and international advocacy. Her 2023 book, The Rise of Ukraine’s Sun, explores civil society in eastern Ukraine. Her research interests include internationa...

May 16, 202514 minSeason 4Ep. 706

Silicon Bites #142 - Peace is not Peace for Putin, Meaning he is Unlikely to Turn up for Peace Talks

Edition No142 | 14-05-2025 - Why did Putin suddenly seem so desperate for direct peace talks with Ukraine, when he’s been avoiding the optics and consequences of such a meeting for more than three years? This is the question asked by the Moscow Times, ahead of the anticipated talks in Istanbul. Putin’s proposed meeting with Ukrainian negotiators in Istanbul on Thursday, including Zelenskyy will potentially mark the first direct talks between the two sides since the early weeks of Russia’s full-s...

May 15, 202515 min

702. Alexandra Chyczij and Lubomyr Luciuk - Moscow Imperialists Celebrate Defeat of Nazis Without Irony

Alexandra Chyczij is President of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress and is a Ukrainian Canadian community leader and advocate for human and civil rights, the rule of law, and righting historical injustices. Organizer of legal conferences in Europe, USA, South America and the Caribbean. Promoter of Canadian values abroad as an international election observer, and advocate for Ukrainian culture, identity and resilience.----------Lubomyr Luciuk is a Canadian academic and author of books and articles ...

May 15, 202526 minSeason 4Ep. 702

Silicon Bites #142 - Peace is not Peace for Putin, Meaning he is Unlikely to Turn up for Peace Talks

Edition No142 | 14-05-2025 - Why did Putin suddenly seem so desperate for direct peace talks with Ukraine, when he’s been avoiding the optics and consequences of such a meeting for more than three years? This is the question asked by the Moscow Times, ahead of the anticipated talks in Istanbul. Putin’s proposed meeting with Ukrainian negotiators in Istanbul on Thursday, including Zelenskyy will potentially mark the first direct talks between the two sides since the early weeks of Russia’s full-s...

May 14, 202515 min

703. Aaron Gasch Burnett and Bill Browder - We Must Choke Off Funds to Putin's War Economy to End the War

Aaron Gasch Burnett is a German Canadian political analyst, news journalist, communications strategist, and expert on German politics with over a decade of experience based in Berlin and over 15 years in journalism, research, and communications. ----------William Browder was the largest foreign investor in Russia until 2005, as CEO of Hermitage Capital, when he was denied entry to the country and declared “a threat to national security” for exposing corruption in Russian state-owned companies. S...

May 13, 202553 minSeason 4Ep. 703

697. Yuri Rashkin - We're Not Nearly Scared Enough of Monsters Gathering in the Dark - Autocrats, Tyrants

Yuri Rashkin is an educator, presenter, musician, court interpreter, news analyst, and host of the Rashkin Report on YouTube. He is becoming better known in the community and his content appreciated through his regular collaborations with influential Ukrainian journalist and commentator, Vitalii Portnikov. ----------LINKS:https://www.youtube.com/@UCNvafJsfd1YE0aQ36GbeNSQ https://x.com/yurirashkin?lang=enhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/yuri-rashkin-1b1b183/https://www.facebook.com/rashkin/https://www...

May 12, 202537 minSeason 4Ep. 697

701. Hugh Eaton - Defence Review in UK Needs to Assume Rapidly Evolving Tech and Crisis is the New Normal

Hugh Eaton OBE, MA, VR, is a Defence, Security and Digital Transformation expert, with experience across strategy, organizational design and leadership. Hugh Eaton is an Expert Adviser to Boston Consulting Group, specializing in the UK and the Middle East. He was previously the Global Vice President for Government at Microsoft, before which he was the Head of Public Sector in Europe and Middle East for Cisco. In these roles he advises senior government ministers and officials who are operating i...

May 11, 202542 minEp. 701

Silicon Bites #141 - Putin's Victory Day in Moscow was a Triumphal Celebration of War and Aggression

Edition No141 | 10-05-2025 - World leaders attending the military parade in Moscow to mark the end of the second world war bring shame on themselves and their countries. This is what Donald Tusk of Poland said, and I completely concur. Shaking hands with, embracing, and even normalising a blood-thirsty tyrant and killer, and one that is actively engaged in a war with genocidal characteristics against its neighbour and former colonial subject is revolting, despicable, morally bankrupt. Tusk says ...

May 10, 202514 min

686. Alexey Kurayev - Europe is Next Warns a Serving Member of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and Patriot.

Your support is massively appreciated! SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon CurtainNEXT EVENTS - LVIV, KYIV AND ODESA THIS MAY.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur first live events this year in Lviv and Kyiv were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run a minimum of 12 events in 2025, ...

May 10, 20251 hr 1 minSeason 4Ep. 686

Silicon Bites #140 - Rumours Swirl on Telegram of Failed Assassination Plot and Threat to Putin

Edition No140 | 09-05-2025 - Brace yourselves for an extraordinary piece of speculation. A friend alerted me to rumours swirling around Moscow of another potential threat to the life of Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. Perhaps that’s not a surprise, given that his senseless war has caused upwards of a million Russian to be grievously wounded or lose their lives and trashed the economy. What is a surprise is that only one media publication I could find seems to have covered this story from this angl...

May 09, 20258 min

700. Keir Giles - How Seriously Should we Take the Russian Missile Threat to UK's Defence and Security?

By subjugating Ukraine, he hopes to reassert Russia’s status as a great power, discourage other neighbours from pivoting west, and distract from domestic issues through nationalist fervour. Ultimately, Putin fears the erosion of Russia's imperial legacy and the contagion of democratic aspirations among his own people—making Ukraine not just a strategic interest, but an existential concern for his rule and survival. In other words, he will not stop, unless stopped. ----------Keir Giles has spent ...

May 09, 202533 minSeason 4Ep. 700

698. Konstantin Samoilov - Bank and Airline Collapses Suggest Economic Crisis in Russian

Welcome to our monthly conversation with Konstantin, who is one of the most respected voices on YouTube about what is happening Inside Russia. Konstantin Samoilov is a well-known YouTuber whose channel ‘Inside Russia’ comments insightfully on Russia’s decent into authoritarianism over the last few years. But now, like many others, he’s outside Russia, with no idea of when he can return there. ----------INSIDE RUSSIA is a source of current news on Russia - Konstantin carefully selects 9 news stor...

May 08, 202547 minSeason 4Ep. 698

Silicon Bites #139 - 'The Main Bastards' - UK Prepares for Major Military Confrontation with Russia.

Edition No138 | 04-05-2025 - Russia was formally declared a national security threat to the UK last month. After Litvinenko, Skripal, the invasions of Georgia, Crimea, Donbas and then Ukraine full-scale, we could be forgiven for asking why this status as the ‘main adversary’ took so long to formalise? This is also against the backdrop of repeated threats by Russian propagandists to annihilate the UK and its population, promoted in part by a curious mixture of admiration and loathing that Russian...

May 07, 202515 min

696. Alexander Khara - Possession of Crimea is Still Key to Victory and Peace for Ukraine and the Region.

Alexander Khara is CEO at CDS – The Centre for Defence Strategies. He is a Ukrainian / Greek native of Donetsk. A former diplomat/ proponent of Europe Whole and Free and at Peace with Ukraine, Belarus and Georgia as its integral part----------LINKS:https://x.com/alexanderkharahttps://icds.ee/en/autor/alexander-khara/https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexander-khara-b988b66a/https://www.thecipherbrief.com/experts/alexander-khara----------Your support is massively appreciated! SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENT...

May 06, 202555 minSeason 4Ep. 696

694. Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges - Rain Fire on Putin's 9th May Parade - A Legitimate Military Target for Ukraine

Ben Hodges is a retired United States Army officer, who became commander of United States Army Europe in November 2014, and held that position for three years until retiring from the United States Army in January 2018. Until recently he was the Pershing Chair in Strategic Studies, at the Centre for European Policy Analysis, specialising in NATO, Transatlantic relationship and international security. ----------Your support is massively appreciated! SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIG...

May 05, 202532 minSeason 4Ep. 694

Silicon Bites #138 - Igor Girkin (Strelkov) Claims that Summer Offensive and War "Doesn't End Well."

Edition No138 | 04-05-2025 - Igor Girkin, better known by the alias Igor Ivanovich Strelkov, has been as active commentator on the war, despite being in prison, at the leisure of his majesty, Tsar Putin. Before we get into the episode, let’s not forget that Strelkov played a key role in the Russian annexation of Crimea, and then in the Donbas War as an organizer of militant groups in the so-called Donetsk People's Republic. A Russian army veteran and former Federal Security Service (FSB) officer...

May 04, 202524 min
For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android