The Associated Press fired a journalist who, after an explosion in Poland, reported that a Russian missile had landed there

Author:
Oleksiy Yarmolenko
Date:

The Associated Press (AP) news agency fired journalist James LaPorte after he, citing intelligence sources, wrote that the explosion in Poland was caused by a Russian missile. Later, it turned out that an anti-aircraft missile from the S-300 anti-aircraft complex fell in the Polish village of Przewodów.

The Washington Post writes about it.

The news on the website of The Associated Press, in which journalists reported with reference to intelligence sources that a Russian missile had fallen in Poland, appeared in the evening of November 15. It stated that "Russian missiles crossed the territory of NATO member Poland, killing two people."

A day later, the AP replaced its story citing an unnamed U.S. official with a correction. It said its anonymous source was mistaken, and "subsequent reports indicated that the missiles were Russian-made and most likely launched by Ukraine to defend against a Russian attack."

"The Associated Pressʼ rigorous editorial standards and practices are critical to APʼs mission as an independent news organization. To ensure that our reporting is accurate, fair and fact-based, we adhere to and enforce these standards, including the use of anonymous sources. If our standards are violated, we must take the necessary steps to protect the integrity of the news. We do not take these decisions lightly, and they are not based on isolated incidents," the AP spokeswoman Lauren Easton noted.