NAFO (group)

The North Atlantic Fella Organization (NAFO, a play on NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization) is an Internet meme and social media movement dedicated to countering Russian propaganda and disinformation about the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. It has been categorised as a form of information warfare. In addition to posting irreverent commentary about the war and memes promoting Ukraine or mocking the Russian war effort and strategy ("shitposting"), the group also raises funds for the Ukrainian military and other pro-Ukrainian causes. The representation of a NAFO "Fella" is a Shiba Inu dog (based on the Doge meme), often used as an avatar and sometimes described as a "cartoon dog", or a "group of Shiba Inu soldiers". In August 2022, The Economist remarked that "NAFO's flippancy obscures its role as a remarkably successful form of information warfare." NAFO has attracted direct criticism from a number of pro-Russia outlets and figures including RT and Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.