15 Memes That Trolled Russia Too Hard

NAFO is a bit hard to define. It has a website (and merch), but there’s no organized leadership. Instead, its extremely online adherents hang out on Discord, Reddit, Twitter, and other channels, landing on their strategy, if you can call it that, through collective action. But rest assured, wherever there’s Russian propaganda, NAFO is watching, and if you call the fellas with the #NAFO hashtag, you can expect them to come knocking on your post.

There’s some speculation (promoted by Russian trolls and propaganda outlets) that NAFO is a CIA funded psy-op, but most credible observers recognize it as a grassroots movement. Regardless, the fellas don’t seem to mind. On an internet that often feels bleak, NAFO is proof that posters can still come together to make something great, or at least something funny and quasi-purposeful.

A year into NAFO’s meme-ing, there are countless examples of fellas fighting on the front lines, standing proud next to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and shedding tears of joy at the sight of missile launches. NAFO even raised money and paid the Ukrainian military to paint their memes on a tank, now affectionately known as the Superbonker 9000.

If you want to become a fella, there’s a simple initiation ritual. Donate to Ukraine and send proof to NAFO’s hotline, and they’ll make you a custom fella of your very own.

Click through for some examples of NAFO’s finest memes.

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Image for article titled 15 Memes That Trolled Russia Too Hard — Screenshot: Gizmodo

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In June, 2022, Russian diplomat Mikhail Ulyanov made a tactical error: he responded to a NAFO troll in the comments of one of his posts. His nonsensical reply, “You pronounced this nonsense. Not me,” became a rallying cry for the fellas. NAFO members brigaded Ulyanov, berating him and filling his posts with memes and criticism. Ulyanov, an active Twitter user, temporarily stopped tweeting in response.

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