Smear campaigns in Ukraine:

Everyone’s favorite weapon

Everyone’s favorite weapon

KYIV. The textbook smear campaign in Ukraine that unfolded just before Catholic Christmas was rebooted … on Orthodox Christmas.

Ukrainian lobbyists and public relations specialists on behalf of NJSC Naftogaz Ukraina were behind the previous crusade against Ukraine’s State Service for Geology and Mineral Resources (Gosgeonadra) — the agency tasked with regulating access to the country’s vast natural resource wealth.

Who, namely, decided to resume or co-opt the costly endeavor, which was relaunched on January 7, remains a mystery. Or maybe not.

The new improved smear campaign is based on one (1) make-believe English-language article and a laborious docudrama about corruption in Ukraine, titled “Exclusive: Dirty deal traced to three Ukrainian tycoons,” posted to the Internet. The so-called investigation had been extensively promoted on social media networks.