The media outlet used pictures of a paintball training in an article on the Russian offensive
The Reuters news agency has become the target of ridicule online when it published a report on the Ukraine conflict and a picture of people playing Airsoft.
The report, released on Monday, states that Ukrainian troops had repulsed Russian forces in the Sumi region, with the headline: “On Monday, Ukrainian border guards prevented an infiltration of a Russian sabotage and recovery group into the northeastern Sumi region,” the governor of the Sumi region said.
However, what caught the attention of online users is not the content of the report, but the image used to illustrate it. A closer look at the image, which was supposed to represent the Ukrainian soldiers fighting in the front row, shows a group of people apparently playing a round paintball, equipped with featured masks and paintball guns.
A link to the article, posted alongside the image above, was published on the Reuters Twitter account, where it remained, despite hundreds of comments pointing to the poorly-fitting image.
Some users say the Reuters post is a prime example of why it is becoming increasingly difficult to believe mainstream media reports on complex foreign conflicts such as Ukraine, which are already difficult to follow due to the snowfall of controversial and misleading reports. Coming from the front line.
The other day, when I was skeptical of a Reuters story, some of you laughed at my skepticism. Here Reuters is telling you that the Ukrainians resisted a Russian attack, while using paintball guns. Ukrainians are good, but not so good. https://t.co/tTIq9gRAgK
– Tactical Wisdom (olDolioJ) May 18, 2022
Other users joked that the picture was actually about the Russia-Ukraine conflict to make quick money for the paintball industry, suggesting that মার্কিন 40 billion could be spent on paintball gear proposed by the US Senate.
Did America spend just 40 40 billion to buy Ukraine paintball gear ???
– Tim Young (@TimRunsHisMouth) May 18, 2022
Maybe the Ukrainians really need 40 billion if they fight the Russian army with paintball guns? 🤷♂️ and Reuters Wondering why no one believes in legacy media anymore. Https://t.co/Hta8N5lW4P
– TJ Cutshaw (utCutshawTj) May 18, 2022
Reuters tried to justify the use of the image, saying that the image was shown “Members of the Regional Defense Forces” Join a “Training Simulation.” However, many have criticized the company for not including that explanation in the original tweet in the first place.
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