Bloomberg apologises for premature reporting on Russia-US prisoner swap

Micklethwait's letter, quoted by CNN, noted that while the premature publication did not ultimately affect the exchange, it was "a clear violation of editorial standards." He informed staff that a "full internal investigation" had been conducted, resulting in disciplinary actions against those responsible. Micklethwait also personally sent apology letters to each of the former inmates involved in the exchange.

The premature reporting occurred despite an agreement among US media outlets to "hold back news" about the exchange to avoid jeopardizing the situation. The White House had requested that publications adhere to an embargo, a request that Bloomberg failed to honor. In contrast, other major outlets, including The Wall Street Journal, complied with the embargo. The Wall Street Journal did not report on the exchange until it confirmed that their journalist, Evan Hershkovich, who was on the exchange list, had been released and handed over by Russia at Ankara airport.