Anna Babinets - attack 28.05.2026

On May 28, 2026, the editor-in-chief of Slidstvo.Info, Nastia Stanko, told Detector Media that the newsroom had faced an online attack initiated by blogger Mykhailo Shneider.

The journalist noted that within 30 minutes, identical materials were published on several news websites, all based on a Facebook post by blogger Mykhailo Shneider containing accusations against the head of Slidstvo.Info, Anna Babinets.

The post refers to a conflict of interest that had previously arisen during the evaluation of entries for the journalism award “Honor of the Profession.” It should be noted that on Monday, May 18, the contest announced the shortlist in the “Best Investigation” category, which also included two pieces by Slidstvo.Info. Anna Babinets was a member of the jury in this category. However, according to the contest rules, she did not evaluate submissions from her own newsroom. Later, the newsroom decided to withdraw the two investigations from the previously announced shortlist in the “Best Investigation” category.

Subsequently, within 30 minutes, several online outlets published materials with similar headlines based on the aforementioned post by Mykhailo Shneider. The articles had similar framing, focusing on the claim that, due to Anna Babinets’ actions, the “Honor of the Profession” award had suffered “irreparable losses.” These reports were published by UNIAN, Glavred, and Ukrayinski Novyny. Mykhailo Shneider was referred to as an “expert” and “political commentator.”

Thus, the post by Mykhailo Shneider contains signs of a personalized online attack and reputational pressure against Anna Babinets. Although the text formally concerns a conflict of interest around the “Honor of the Profession” award, the main emphasis is on discrediting the journalist through emotionally charged wording such as: “cynical story,” “murky backroom deals,” “sitting on two chairs,” and “blatant disregard for all rules.” Such expressions construct a negative image of the media professional, as they go beyond a neutral description of the situation. The text also contains elements of public incitement to condemn the journalist, in particular through claims about “irreparable reputational losses” for the award allegedly caused by her actions.

The simultaneous spread of the post across several platforms may indicate a coordinated and targeted online attack against the journalist, aimed at discrediting not only the media professional herself but also the newsroom as a whole. In addition, the author uses manipulative rhetorical questions and a moralizing tone, which may serve as a trigger for further online attacks and harassment. For example, one of the comments under Shneider’s original Facebook post contains signs of gender-based disinformation, namely assumptions about close personal relationships allegedly important for career advancement:

“Another mistress? Is she also 20 years old? And has she been doing journalism all these years? 🤣🤣”
“Unfortunately, in our country it always works like this—kuma, svat, brother, or through backdoor connections.”