The “Russia’s South Caucasus” bit was an eyesore to WaPo’s 19.3 million followers, who were swift enough to link the blooper to its recent job cuts, where thousands of journalists lost their jobs
The Washington Post cut thousands of jobs last week, and as it was just starting to move away from the public eye for the mass layoffs, the news outlet has once again become the centre of attention for a post that has now been deleted.
WaPo published an article with the headline “Vance Armenia, Azerbaijan as Trump eyes deals in Russia’s sphere”. The article with that header seems like a straightforward story; the publication made an error on X that quickly caught the attention of news-hungry fellows on the platform.
In the post, WaPo said, “During a two-day swing to Russia’s South Caucasus, Vice President JD Vance trumpeted plans for the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity – a 26-mile link through Armenia, connecting Azerbaijan to Turkey while bypassing Russia and Iran.”
The “Russia’s South Caucasus” bit was an eyesore to WaPo’s 19.3 million followers, who were swift enough to link the blooper to its recent job cuts, where thousands of journalists lost their jobs.
‘Misinterpreted’
After X users pointed out the mistake, the outlet put out another post saying, “Correction: A previous version of this post misidentified the South Caucasus as belonging to Russia. The region, made up of territory in Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan, is not part of Russia. We deleted the previous tweet.”
Correction: A previous version of this post misidentified the South Caucasus as belonging to Russia. The region, made up of territory in Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan, is not part of Russia. We deleted the previous tweet. pic.twitter.com/OYsRkZiIPO
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) February 12, 2026
The South Caucasus is a region at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and Western Asia, comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia.
Bordered by Russia, Turkey and Iran, it is strategically important for energy routes and trade corridors. The region has a complex history shaped by empires, ethnic diversity and conflicts, including the long-running dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh.
How did X users react?
Political scientist Ian Bremmer said, “it is possible that sacking all your foreign correspondents has consequences.”
it is possible that sacking all your foreign correspondents has consequences. https://t.co/eov2rQ5aHq
— ian bremmer (@ianbremmer) February 12, 2026
Ex-marine offer Issac said, “This wasn’t an iniquitous mistake. The sub-headline was written by AI. Russians dedicate significant resources just to produce massive amounts of biased text that increasingly gets picked up by AI models. They often use the term “Russian Crimea” in articles and posts for the same purpose.”
This wasn’t an iniquitous mistake. The sub-headline was written by AI. Russians dedicate significant resources just to produce massive amounts of biased text that increasingly gets picked up by AI models. They often use the term “Russian Crimea” in articles and posts for the same… https://t.co/eClWYgbd6c
— Issac | ісcак (@Marine_Ukraine) February 12, 2026
Meanwhile, a publication called Business Ukraine Magazine said in a post on Meta’s Threads, “Something has gone seriously wrong at the Washington Post.”
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