Pro-Russia edits to RNZ stories on the war in Ukraine are unacceptable and deeply harmful to the Ukrainian community in New Zealand, a community spokesperson said this morning.
An investigation is underway into a single staffer at the public broadcaster, amid revelations at least 15 articles on its website were altered to include pro-Russian views.
Mahi for Ukraine's Kate Turska told Breakfast the revelation was "shocking" to New Zealand's Ukrainian community.
"We've liaised with all of the Ukrainian organisations in New Zealand," she said. "We've talked to the Ukrainian World Congress representatives out of Australia. We've talked to our ambassador and we all share [the] same sentiment, that this is not acceptable.
"There is a deep concern amongst the community."
Turska said the edits were "hurtful" and "damaging" at a time when many Kiwi-Ukrainians had family affected by the war.
"Currently there are two wars that are happening in parallel," she said. "One is Russia's war of choice that's committing war crimes, killing civilians, destroying an entire country. And the other one is the propaganda war."
Russian misinformation has reached Aotearoa's shores in the past, she added.
"Even the Russian embassy is spreading misinformation here in New Zealand," Turska said.
"But to have it within a state-funded media outlet, that was definitely a shock."
Mahi for Ukraine are meeting with RNZ later this week, and Turska is hoping for an apology to the community.
She also wants to make sure it doesn't happen again.
"We have to ensure that our reporting is unbiased, fair, accurate, and we maintain journalistic integrity."
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