2026-02-21 | UPDATES #137 | A War Foretold — And Still Ignored. Four years ago, Europe woke up to missile trails over Kyiv and the lie many had been telling themselves: “Putin won’t do it.” That’s not just the public, but also experts, historians, politicians and diplomats. Today, The Guardian publishes a deeply sourced reconstruction of the months before 24 February 2022 — how the CIA and MI6 pieced together the invasion plan, why much of Europe didn’t buy it, and why Kyiv didn’t want to hear it. (The Guardian) The piece was authored by journalist Shaun Walker. In November 2021, CIA Director William Burns tries to see Putin in person — but gets a phone call instead. Burns tells Putin the US believes Russia is preparing to invade Ukraine; Putin shrugs it off and pivots to his own grievances. Burns comes away convinced war is coming. (The Guardian)----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------A REQUEST FOR HELP!I'm heading back to Kyiv this week, to film, do research and conduct interviews. The logistics and need for equipment and clothing are a little higher than for my previous trips. It will be cold, and may be dark also. If you can, please assist to ensure I can make this trip a success. My commitment to the audience of the channel, will be to bring back compelling interviews conducted in Ukraine, and to use the experience to improve the quality of the channel, it's insights and impact. Let Ukraine and democracy prevail! https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrashttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformationNONE OF THIS CAN HAPPEN WITHOUT YOU!So what's next? We're going to Kyiv in January 2026 to film on the ground, and will record interviews with some huge guests. We'll be creating opportunities for new interviews, and to connect you with the reality of a European city under escalating winter attack, from an imperialist, genocidal power. PLEASE HELP ME ME TO GROW SILICON CURTAINWe are planning our events for 2026, and to do more and have a greater impact. After achieving more than 12 events in 2025, we will aim to double that! 24 events and interviews on the ground in Ukraine, to push back against weaponized information, toxic propaganda and corrosive disinformation. Please help us make it happen!----------SOURCES: The Guardian (Shaun Walker), A war foretold: how the CIA and MI6 got hold of Putin’s Ukraine plans and why nobody believed them (20 Feb 2026). The Guardian live coverage (Europe/Ukraine), including European defence ministers discussing a potential “European Five Eyes”. Explainer.ua (UA), summary of the Guardian investigation (20 Feb 2026). Big Kyiv (UA), recap noting claim that Putin’s decision was made earlier (20 Feb 2026). LinkedIn: Klaus Dodds reacting to the piece (21 Feb 2026). Bluesky: Jana Puglierin sharing the investigation (21 Feb 2026). t-online (DE), report summarising the Guardian findings and noting the “right call / wrong trajectory” dynamic (21 Feb 2026). ----------