Guardian: Former Trump aide approved 'black ops' to help Ukraine president - Apr. 06, 2018

Guardian: Former Trump aide approved ‘black ops’ to help Ukraine president

Published April 6, 2018 at 10:47 am

(FILES) This file photo taken on October 16, 2017 shows former Donald Trump presidential campaign manager Paul Manafort during Game Four of the American League Championship Series at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and a business associate were told to surrender to federal officials on October 30, 2017 in the probe into Russia's attempts to tilt the 2016 presidential vote in Trump's favor, the New York Times reported. There was no word on what charges have been filed by special counsel Robert Mueller, the former FBI director leading the Russia probe.The Times said Manafort and his longtime associate Rick Gates were told to surrender to federal authorities. Manafort managed Trump's presidential campaign between June and August 2016. / AFP PHOTO / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / ELSA

Photo by AFP

Donald Trump’s former campaign manager Paul Manafort authorized a secret media operation on behalf of Ukraine’s former president featuring “black ops”, “placed” articles in the Wall Street Journal and US websites and anonymous briefings against Hillary Clinton.

The project was designed to boost the reputation of Ukraine’s then leader, Viktor Yanukovych. It was part of a multimillion-dollar lobbying effort carried out by Manafort on behalf of Yanukovych’s embattled government, emails and documents reveal.