AP obtained a video appearing to show a new war crime in Ukraine and revealed how Russia manipulates the truth—thanks to deep source work, tireless teamwork and multi-layered verification.
Years of trust-building paid off when John Leicester obtained a video showing what appeared to be Russian soldiers executing unarmed Ukrainian troops who had surrendered during a so-called “clean-up” operation. But obtaining the footage was just the beginning.
Erika Kinetz, drawing from her previous reporting on war crimes in Ukraine, interviewed experts involved in documenting such atrocities. They helped verify the footage and explained its legal and strategic significance.
Beatrice Dupuy used her experience verifying user-generated content to confirm the video’s authenticity. In doing so, she uncovered a second version of the video—posted by Russian military bloggers—which omitted the execution scene, further exposing deliberate manipulation of the narrative.
Brian Friedman worked closely with the team over three days to ensure the language in the story was precise and could withstand intense scrutiny. His careful editing ensured clarity and accuracy on a highly sensitive subject.
Alex Turnbull created two innovative videos to present the findings without showing graphic content. His work captured the gravity and nuance of the discovery while maintaining AP’s standards.
The Ukraine and Russia teams also contributed crucial reporting, while photo editors selected three frame grabs with care. The digital team created two maps to provide additional context. Editors across regions reviewed every element—text, visuals and language—to ensure the story met the highest standards.
Published as peace negotiations gained momentum in Russia’s favor, the story arrived at a critical moment in global diplomacy.
Judges praised the team’s source development, technical precision, and editorial rigor.
For their outstanding teamwork, source building and meticulous verification, John Leicester, Erika Kinetz, Beatrice Dupuy, Alex Turnbull and Brian Friedman win this week’s Best of AP — First Winner.
Related articles
