You're reading: ​Critics of Ukraine’s government get propaganda mileage out of hoax letter

As the famous saying goes: "A lie can travel halfway around the world before the truth can get its boots on." It goes even farther in the Internet era.

A fake letter from U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, which purported to dictate the American government’s preferences in ministers to Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, became fodder for Russian propagandists and critics of Ukraine’s government before the Illinois Democrat was able to bat it down as a hoax.

Ben Marter, the senator’s spokesman, issued this statement on July 6: “Senator Durbin has been outspoken in his criticism of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and supportive of Ukrainian efforts to reform their economy and defend their nation. This letter is a forgery and was obviously written by somebody with a tenuous grasp of the English language. We’ve referred the matter to the FBI and CIA.”

Marter also noted that the forged letterhead states Durbin’s position as “assistant minority leader” while authentic letterhead has “assistant Democratic leader.”

One of the people who most actively spread the bogus letter as truth was Leonid Kozhara, the last foreign minister under fugitive ex-President Viktor Yanukovych, who fled power on Feb. 22, 2014, during the EuroMaidan Revolution. He posted the letter with the comment: “This is who is the real puppet master of Ukrainian politics.”

Kozhara, reached for comment, said he simply reposted the letter from a German friend without checking its authenticity. While he accepts Durbin’s statement that the letter is a hoax, he said the underlying truth is that the United States calls the shots with the current Ukraine government.

“This is how Facebook works. Facebook doesn’t need any proof, so I picked it up and posted it,” Kozhara said.

The underlying truth, in his view, remains: “This government in Ukraine is 100 percent dependent on U.S. policy regarding Ukraine today. Our government depends on loans from the International Monetary Fund, so I also know for sure that the appointment of Mr. Yatsenyuk was promoted by the United States as well,” Kozhara said.

His argument looks to be part of the campaign theme in the autumn local elections in which his Socialist Party, where he serves as vice president, plans to field a team of candidates.

Russians also derived propaganda value out of the letter as “proof” of extensive U.S. meddling into Ukrainian politics.

Pravdorub. info shared and translated the text of the letter, without any fact-checking. The Russian newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda published an article with the headline: “Ukrainian ministers are appointed from USA.”

In the story, journalist Sergei Semushkin used such phrases as there are no more “illusions about the independence of Kyiv authorities.” The journalist also seized on the bogus letter to remind readers of last year’s leaked telephone conversation between Deputy U.S. Secretary of State Victoria Nuland and U.S. Ambassador Geoffrey R. Pyatt in which Nuland said she favored Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk over Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko and sought to marginalize Svoboda Party leader Oleh Tyahnybok.

“In fact, they do not hide the interests of Western corporations, with the support of Washington are actively involved today in an aggressive buying up Ukrainian land for a pittance,” writes Semushkin without any verification.

Another Top Russian newspaper, Moscovsky Komsomolets, also published a story headlined: “USA give advice to Yatsenyuk about which ministers should be appointed and which ones should be dismissed.” The source cited was Kozhara’s Facebook page.

RIA Novosti wrote that it didn’t even need a letter since everyone knows that “Kyiv authorities cannot make a step” without Washington’s approval and that “calls for Americans to buy Ukrainian energy companies only confirms that Ukraine has long lost all its independence.”

American Brian Mefford, a long-time political analyst in Ukraine, said he was able to determine the letter was fake simply by reading it.

“Anyone who has ever written to their congressman knows that their response letters are never so specific. Congressmen are masters of broad platitudes and generalities,” Mefford said. “Even a freshman congressman would not be so direct in a conversation – let alone a veteran senator in an official written response. This letter is a lot like an ‘alien sighting.’ That is, those who already believe in aliens will see it as confirmation they exist, while the other 98 percent of the galaxy will know it’s a fake. In the long run it’s just the Kremlin’s latest weapon in the public relations war. “

The aim of the forgery, dated June 25, looks to be stirring up a scandal over a purported feud between President Petro Poroshenko and Yatsenyuk.

“I write to assure you that the U.S. Senate extends its trust in you and shares your concerns over the ongoing dismissal by President Petro Porosehnko of key figures in Ukraine leadership who have been entirely commited to promoting democracy,” the letter starts.

It goes on to defend Minister of Agriculture Oleksiy Pavlenko, who is believed to be in disfavor with Poroshenko. It also endorses Yuriy Nedashkovsky as president of the Energoatom Company.

The hoax also criticizes Energy Minister Volodymyr Demchyshyn and says there is “no clear-cut solution to the problem of” Interior Minister Arsen Avakov, since senators “differ in their opinions. I consider it appropriate to postpone the issue for some time.”

It’s easy to see why Durbin became a target. He represents a state with a sizeable Ukrainian-American population, especially in Chicago. He also has pushed U.S. President Barack Obama for a tougher response to Russia’s annexation of Crimea and war against eastern Ukraine.

As Reuters reported, last month both Democrats and Republicans in Congress backed legislation that would authorize $300 million for Ukrainian security assistance, but specifies that half the money would be withheld unless at least 20 percent of it is spent on lethal aid for the Kyiv government.

Kyiv Post chief editor Brian Bonner can be reached at [email protected].