NAFO (group)

NAFO's logo, featuring its mascot. NAFO's logo and name are modeled after that of NATO.

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.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4] It has been categorised as a form of information warfare.^[2]

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.^[1]^[3] The representation of a NAFO "Fella" is a Shiba Inu dog (based on the Doge meme),^[4] often used as an avatar and sometimes described as a "cartoon dog",^[3]^[5] or a "group of Shiba Inu soldiers".^[6]

In August 2022, The Economist remarked that "NAFO's flippancy obscures its role as a remarkably successful form of information warfare."^[2] NAFO has attracted direct criticism from a number of pro-Russia outlets and figures including RT and Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.^[7]

^ ^a ^b Pearson, Pez (15 August 2022). "The doges of war: how a Twitter meme is helping fight the Russian war in Ukraine". Yorkshire Bylines. Archived from the original on 28 August 2022. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c Cite error: The named reference economist was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ ^a ^b ^c Gault, Matthew (12 July 2022). "Shitposting Shiba Inu Accounts Chased a Russian Diplomat Offline". Vice. Archived from the original on 28 August 2022. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
^ ^a ^b Cite error: The named reference politico was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ "Let slip the online shiba inus of war". New Scientist. 20 July 2022. Archived from the original on 29 August 2022. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
^ 竜仁, 石動. "ウクライナ国防省が「柴犬兵士」の雑コラに感謝を表明？注目される「NAFOの戦争」とは何か". Shūkan Bunshun (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 14 September 2022. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
^ Kirichenko, David (6 December 2023). "Opinion: NAFO is waging Ukraine's meme war". The Kyiv Independent. Retrieved 8 January 2024.

[york-1] Pearson, Pez (15 August 2022). "The doges of war: how a Twitter meme is helping fight the Russian war in Ukraine". Yorkshire Bylines. Archived from the original on 28 August 2022. Retrieved 28 August 2022.

[economist-2] Cite error: The named reference economist was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[vice-3] Gault, Matthew (12 July 2022). "Shitposting Shiba Inu Accounts Chased a Russian Diplomat Offline". Vice. Archived from the original on 28 August 2022. Retrieved 28 August 2022.

[politico-4] Cite error: The named reference politico was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[newsci-5] "Let slip the online shiba inus of war". New Scientist. 20 July 2022. Archived from the original on 29 August 2022. Retrieved 30 August 2022.

[bunshun-6] 竜仁, 石動. "ウクライナ国防省が「柴犬兵士」の雑コラに感謝を表明？注目される「NAFOの戦争」とは何か". Shūkan Bunshun (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 14 September 2022. Retrieved 4 September 2022.

[7] Kirichenko, David (6 December 2023). "Opinion: NAFO is waging Ukraine's meme war". The Kyiv Independent. Retrieved 8 January 2024.

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