RNZ is investigating how online stories about the war in Ukraine, supplied by an international news agency, were edited to align with the Russian view of events. A staff member has been stood down while other stories are audited. It's also prompted an external review of RNZ's online news publishing.

RNZ is investigating how online stories about the war in Ukraine, supplied by an international news agency, were edited to align with the Russian view of events. A staff member has been stood down while other stories are audited. It's also prompted an external review of RNZ's online news publishing.

The alarm was raised after a story was published by RNZ on Friday about the escalation of the Russia-Ukraine conflict which contained significant amendments to the original copy by the international wire service Reuters.

The original story by its Moscow bureau chief Guy Faulconbridge said:

"The conflict in eastern Ukraine began in 2014 after a pro-Russian president was toppled in Ukraine's Maidan Revolution and Russia annexed Crimea, with Russian-backed separatist forces fighting Ukraine's armed forces."

But when republished on RNZ.co.nz, that passage adopted a more Kremlin-friendly framing.

"The conflict in Ukraine began in 2014 after a pro-Russian elected government was toppled during Ukraine's violent Maidan colour revolution. Russia annexed Crimea after a referendum, as the new pro-Western government suppressed ethnic Russians in eastern and southern Ukraine, sending in its armed forces to the Donbas."

RNZ's 4pm news bulletin on Friday said the version published by RNZ "included a false account of events" and RNZ is investigating how the story was "changed to reflect a pro-Russian view."

RNZ corrected the story online, adding a footnote which says it is "taking the issue extremely seriously."

Late on Friday RNZ said an investigation is under way into "the alleged conduct of one employee" who has been "placed on leave while we look into these matters."

"We are auditing other articles to check whether there are further problems," the statement said.

RNZ chief executive Paul Thompson said the inappropriate editing of the stories to reflect a pro-Moscow perspective was deeply concerning and would be addressed accordingly.

Other stories in the spotlight

Another RNZ.co.nz story on the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam described the 2014 Maidan Revolution as a "coup" - pro-Russian language which doesn't appear in the original Reuters text…

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details