Unknown hackers hacked into the databases of the Soros Foundation and posted more than 2500 files of the organization on the Internet. The documents published on the website DCLeaks.com cover the period from 2008 to 2016 and relate to different aspects of the activity of the billionaire’s organisation.
As it’s easy to guess, the organization did not only charity work, but also political consultations, and also supported and allocated grants to various media and NGOs. By the way, this organization is forbidden in Russia, as it “poses a threat to the foundation of the constitutional system and safety of the Russian Federation”. And it’s no wonder that representatives of the Foundation and the USA have already accused “in flushing” the hackers from Russia, though without any proof. Documents of the Soros Foundation were published together with the another portion of correspondence of NATO Generals, including the ex-commander of forces of the alliance in Europe Philip Breedlove.
Among the “flushed” files it is possible to find documents concerning the European elections, questions about immigration, and US policies. In particular, George Soros advised the current candidate for president Hillary Clinton, who then had the position of Secretary of State, on the suppression of riots in Albania. There is also on the site a list of various allegedly independent European and international organizations that are in reality under the Soros Foundation’s control. One of the main tasks of the organization, apparently, is to counteract Russia’s expansion of influence in Europe. It is hardly surprising to those who are even a little familiar with the biography of the native of Hungary billionaire George Soros.
Ukraine is also mentioned in papers of the organization, and quite frequently – 370 times. Among the files there are documents concerning the organization of Euromaidan, a shorthand report of activist meetings with representatives of the “Resurrection” Fund and US ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt, and materials about a planned George Soros’s meeting with the leader of “Svoboda” Oleg Tyahnybok and others. It “unexpectedly” turned out that the insinuation of “Kremlin propaganda”, that Euromaidan was not a spontaneous release of the people to the streets in a uniform rush, but was directed by western organizations, is at least partly confirmed.
Of course, it is possible to say one thing doesn’t impeach another one, and other such organizations like the Soros Foundation simply supported the people striving for freedom and democracy. But, as is said, a residue remains. On the other hand, it is unlikely that even such revelations are capable of forcing any of the parties to change their opinion. All stand in their positions too strongly, and it is difficult to imagine what other revelations have to be published in order to influence something.
Many documents concern the delivery of grants to the Ukrainian mass media, organizations, and certain journalists. For example, in one document it is proposed to allocate $500,000 a year for “technical assistance” to such media as the TV channel Hromadske and websites “Crimea. Realities” and “Ostrov”.
It is necessary to say that the Soros Foundation didn’t leave Ukraine alone even after Euromaidan. The organization continued to allocate money for the Ukrainian mass media, who had to establish partnerships with their European colleagues. Vox Ukraine, HromadskeTV, Nashi Groshi [“our money” – ed], European truth, the Crimean TV channel ATR, Gazeta.ua, Ukrainian Pravda, and Kiev Post all got on the “lucky” list. The Soros Foundation allocated nearly $200,000 dollars for propaganda in the Netherlands before holding a referendum on the agreement on association with Ukraine. It is clear that here the money was really wasted. The propaganda was at work here, and a number of activists and politicians even went to the Netherlands, and it seemed their time was spent well, but the Dutch voted against the association anyway.
Funds, however, were allocated not only for informational work, but also for some political fulfillments. So, in one of documents it is proposed to allocate €800,000 for the creation of consultation groups for reforms in the current year. Especially close attention had to be paid to constitutional and agrarian reforms, and also changes on decentralization of the country. 100,000 more was to go to the development of tax reforms. But it seems whether this 900,000 was allocated or not, or was spent as effectively as the money for propaganda in the Netherlands. Well, reforms are abstract matters and it is unclear how to estimate them, but some officials, perhaps, got new cars or apartments. So Soros’ money wasn’t spent for nothing, by certain persons.
Besides financial documents in the “flushed” files, there are also other papers that testify to the close work of the Foundation with the Ukrainian authorities. So, Soros’ subordinates organized consultations for the president Petro Poroshenko with a number of former NATO military and experts of the Atlantic Council, who had to advise how to increase the fighting capacity of Ukraine without violating the Minsk agreements.
So far nobody In the Soros Foundation, as well as in the Ukrainian management or mass media still hasn’t disproven the authenticity of the published documents. Judging by the accusations that were made when addressing the Russian hackers, it is unlikely to be done. And, actually, what is there to disprove? After all, grants or continuous consultations with the US ambassador have been considered for a long time not as interference in internal affairs of the country or as a loss of sovereignty, but as help from western partners, which can be only welcomed.
Translated by Ollie Richardson & Angelina Siard