2025-11-15 | Silicon Wafers 056 | DAILY UPDATES | We follow the full spectrum of stories today, from Ukraine’s legal and righteous fight to eject the invader and gain dominance of the Black Sea, to the unfolding illegality in the Caribbean, and examine whether war is becoming a likely option for an embattled US president, to deflect and distract from his domestic woes and scandals. In this episode we range from Odesa to Caracas, from Kyiv to Washington, and investigate the startling withdrawal of some intelligence support by the British for the US, once considered an staunch ally, fearing they’d become implicated in illegal and arbitrary acts of murder in the Caribbean as Trump’s war against so-called traffickers and gangs ramps up in international waters. Today’s episode is about three converging storms:1. The UK has quietly paused some intelligence sharing with the United States over lethal “drug boat” strikes near Venezuela.2. Moscow is talking about parking its new Oreshnik hypersonic missiles in Venezuela – “Americans may be in for surprises,” as one Russian lawmaker put it.3. And in Washington, the Epstein files scandal is detonating around Donald Trump – raising the grim question: would a weakened president start a foreign war as a distraction?All this loops back to Ukraine, Russia, and – lurking in the background – China.----------SOURCES: The Guardian - https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/nov/11/uk-suspends-intelligence-sharing-with-us-amid-airstikes-in-the-caribbeanFinancial Times - https://www.ft.com/content/4aa29d63-2daf-4cf8-aec4-dc6eb7b5f1efThe Washington Post - https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/11/11/britain-intelligence-sharing-boat-strikes-venezuela/Reuters - https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/rubio-denies-reporting-that-uk-cut-intel-sharing-over-boat-strikes-2025-11-12/Business Insider - https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-lawmaker-send-pantsir-buk-venezuela-air-defenses-ilyushin-2025-11El País - https://elpais.com/america/2025-11-08/venezuela-recibe-mas-ayuda-militar-rusa-en-medio-de-las-tensiones-con-washington.htmlThe Guardian - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/nov/13/epstein-files-key-takeawaysAP News - https://apnews.com/article/db7df1042a73e610fb5deddf2f90bd3aPolitico - https://www.politico.com/news/2025/11/12/jeffrey-epstein-donald-trump-emails-00647447----------SILICON CURTAIN FILM FUNDRAISERA project to make a documentary film in Ukraine, to raise awareness of Ukraine's struggle and in supporting a team running aid convoys to Ukraine's front-line towns.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon Curtainhttps://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur events of the first half of the year in Lviv, Kyiv and Odesa were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run a minimum of 12 events in 2025, and potentially many more. Any support you can provide for the fundraising campaign would be gratefully appreciated. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------

2025-11-14 | Silicon Wafers 055 | Flamingo Over Novorossiysk: Ukraine’s Long-Range Energy War. In the early hours of November 14, Russia’s biggest Black Sea oil hub, Novorossiysk, went dark in a way that brings a thrill to pro-Ukraine activists on social media. Giant fireballs, and mobile phone footage of Russian’s exclaiming and swearing in the entertaining we have become familiar with. But is the strike of strategic importance, and does it tell us anything about how Ukraine’s deep strike capabilities are changing? Drones over the water, fire at the Sheskharis terminal, and something Moscow really hates to see, which is tankers not loading oil.The next night, hundreds of kilometres to the north, explosions roll across the Russian city of Oryol. Local Telegram channels film glowing debris raining into courtyards. And for the first time, Ukraine officially says it’s using its new home-grown deep-strike weapon: the Flamingo cruise missile. Tonight, we’re going to connect those two things — the burning oil terminal and the cute-sounding missile with a 3,000-kilometre reach — and ask: How is Ukraine’s second front of the war unfolding — not the territorial war, but the one against Russian energy, logistics, and the regime’s balance sheet?----------SOURCES: Kyiv Post – “Novorossiysk Oil Shipments Suspended After Ukraine Drone Strike Sets Key Terminal Ablaze” (Nov. 14, 2025)Kyiv Post – “Explosions Rock Russia’s Oryol – Ukraine’s Use of ‘Flamingo’ Long-Range Missiles Confirmed” (Nov. 13, 2025)Kyiv Post – “ANALYSIS: Ukraine’s Bombardment of Russia – Not Just Oil Refineries, Warships Any More” by Stefan Korshak (Nov. 5, 2025)The Kyiv Independent – “Ukraine confirms use of Flamingo missiles in strikes on Crimea, Zaporizhzhia, targets inside Russia” (Nov. 13, 2025)Reuters – “Storms, drone attacks and record oil exports pile pressure on Russian port of Novorossiisk” (Oct. 15, 2025)Reuters – coverage on Novorossiysk oil export suspension after attack (Nov. 14, 2025) AP News – “Ukraine’s long-range strikes cut Russia’s oil refining capacity by 20%, Zelenskyy says” (late Oct. 2025)Chatham House – “Ukraine’s best defence against Putin’s energy war is more attacks on Russia’s oil refining sector” (2025)Foundation for Defense of Democracies – “Ukraine conducts strikes on Russian targets using domestically produced missiles and drones” (Nov. 2025)The Guardian – “Ukraine war briefing: Flamingo flies into battle, Zelenskyy defers to commanders over Pokrovsk” (Nov. 14, 2025) ----------SILICON CURTAIN FILM FUNDRAISERA project to make a documentary film in Ukraine, to raise awareness of Ukraine's struggle and in supporting a team running aid convoys to Ukraine's front-line towns.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon Curtainhttps://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur events of the first half of the year in Lviv, Kyiv and Odesa were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run a minimum of 12 events in 2025, and potentially many more. Any support you can provide for the fundraising campaign would be gratefully appreciated. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------

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 her excellent channel- https://youtu.be/daHcnsNQ1S0?si=yHbZ2kJZ3CTVRd8Z----------SILICON CURTAIN FILM FUNDRAISER - A project to make a documentary film in Ukraine, to raise awareness of Ukraine's struggle and in supporting a team running aid convoys to Ukraine's front-line towns.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------DESCRIPTION:Ukraine's Fight: On-the-Ground Realities and Global Implications | In Conversation with Anna Danylchuk In this episode, Anna Danylchuk returns to discuss the ongoing situation in Ukraine. The video covers a new partnership with American Apparel to support Ukrainian defenders, the aftermath of a devastating Russian drone strike, and the resilience of the Ukrainian people. They delve into Russia’s history, its imperial ambitions, and its propaganda tactics. Their discussion also touches on the psychological and cultural differences between Ukraine and Russia, illustrating why Ukraine’s fight is about more than just territory. With a backdrop of recent attacks in Kyiv, Anna shares her experiences and sentiments on Russia’s failing strategies and the international support Ukraine continues to receive.----------CHAPTERS:00:00 Introduction and Special Announcement01:42 Welcome Back, Anna!02:11 Life in Kyiv During the War04:29 Russian Attacks and Ukrainian Resilience06:37 Russian Propaganda and Misconceptions08:32 Historical Context and Russian Imperialism13:39 The Role of Russian Literature in Propaganda18:49 Western Perceptions and Misunderstandings37:22 The Importance of Ukrainian Unity and Support39:44 Conclusion and Future Plans----------SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon Curtainhttps://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur events of the first half of the year in Lviv, Kyiv and Odesa were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run a minimum of 12 events in 2025, and potentially many more. Any support you can provide for the fundraising campaign would be gratefully appreciated. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasWe need to scale up our support for Ukraine, and these events are designed to have a major impact. Your support in making it happen is greatly appreciated. All events will be recorded professionally and published for free on the Silicon Curtain channel. Where possible, we will also live-stream events.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND:Save Ukrainehttps://www.saveukraineua.org/Superhumans - Hospital for war traumashttps://superhumans.com/en/UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukrainehttps://unbroken.org.ua/Come Back Alivehttps://savelife.in.ua/en/Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchenhttps://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraineUNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyyhttps://u24.gov.ua/Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundationhttps://prytulafoundation.orgNGO “Herojam Slava”https://heroiamslava.org/kharpp - Reconstruction project supporting communities in Kharkiv and Przemyślhttps://kharpp.com/NOR DOG Animal Rescuehttps://www.nor-dog.org/home/----------