They waited too long. They consumed any remaining shreds of credibility with "Russia, Russia, Russia" and innumerable other lies. Now they are just publicizing what is going on here. Everyone knows they lie.
Got any sauce for that 17 people? That one seemed to appear out of thin air, as it were.
This seems like a good reason, if these are valid. Evidence is bad karma.
That works if nobody came or went in eight years. I wouldn't get too hung up on that population figure, just a fluke.