"Disinformation," Our Clearest Leading Indicator

The news this week:

The Ukrainian government is falling apart, and personal associates of the Ukrainian president are fleeing the country to avoid arrest by anti-corruption investigators.

Now, this is what was in the news last year:

Citizen, you must not believe that there is corruption in Ukraine! Putin is spreading lies through his allies in the American far-right! Think tank thumbsucker from 2024:

The fake news campaigns over Ukraine have become relentless in the West but are endemic within Ukraine itself. Some preferred themes include misfortune befalling Kyiv’s Chief of Defense Intelligence Budanov, President Zelensky abandoning the country for some estate in the UK or a private island, or egregious corruption in the Ukrainian government with Zelensky’s right-hand man, Andriy Yermak, a frequent target.

Egregious corruption in Ukraine? Ohh, IS THAT WHAT YOUR HANDLERS IN THE KREMLIN TOLD YOU TO SAY!?!?!? You can find this narrative everywhere. The Washington Post, also last year:

That story helpfully explains that Moscow spin doctors planted evil mind viruses to trick Americans into believing that there might be corruption in Ukraine:

The Kremlin turned in earnest to undermining American support for Ukraine in January 2023. Sergei Kiriyenko, the Kremlin’s first deputy chief of staff, called in the team of political strategists already working on campaigns to weaken backing for Kyiv in Europe, including Gambashidze, and asked them to expand their efforts, the documents show. The strategists employ dozens of troll farm employees and translators.

The Moscow spin doctors were soon ordered to create media content for Americans that would promote corruption allegations involving the Ukrainian leadership — “the sale and theft of weapons” given to Ukraine, one document shows.

Once again, the difference between irresponsible disinformation and crushingly obvious fact is about a year.