Why 'Russia Says' Matters: Unpacking the Language of Wartime Reporting

It’s a different kind of reporting. You learn quickly what is a priority and what can wait. You learn to write 'Russia says' or 'Ukraine says' and not to trust either side. You learn to look for evidence, and you often find it in the rubble.

A key principle of our coverage is to be clear and transparent about what we know and what we don't. We will, for instance, be careful to attribute claims to one side or the other, or to note when a claim cannot be independently verified.

Reputable news outlets that do not have reporters on the ground must rely on the reporting of other news outlets they trust... They should also clearly attribute where they are getting information from. A news story that says 'according to The Associated Press' or 'the military says' is being transparent with the audience.

In an information war, the media has a crucial role in attempting to verify the claims being made by each side... This means it can be very difficult for a news organisation to be sure of the facts. That is why you may see our journalists using cautious language, such as 'it is claimed', 'it is said', 'we believe'.