# War on Fakes

> Russian disinformation website

**Wikidata**: [Q115430204](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q115430204)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_on_Fakes)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/war-on-fakes

## Summary
War on Fakes is a Russian disinformation website launched on February 23, 2022, that masquerades as a fact-checking project while spreading pro-Kremlin narratives. It operates in multiple languages including Russian, English, French, German, Spanish, Chinese, and Arabic to amplify its reach.

## Key Facts
- War on Fakes is classified as a Russian disinformation website in its Wikidata description.
- The website was launched on February 23, 2022, the day before Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
- Its official URL is https://waronfakes.com/, with French designated as its primary language qualifier.
- It claims fact-checking as its goal, though this is assessed as deceptive by Media Bias/Fact Check.
- The project is categorized as both a "project" and "website" in Wikidata.
- Media Bias/Fact Check designated it as "known to be unreliable" as of February 2, 2024.
- It maintains Wikipedia presence in English, Finnish, Russian, Slovene, and Ukrainian.
- The website operates in 10 languages: English, Finnish, Russian, Slovene, Ukrainian, French, German, Spanish, Chinese, and Arabic.

## FAQs
### Q: What is War on Fakes?
A: War on Fakes is a Russian disinformation website launched in 2022 that pretends to be a fact-checking project while promoting pro-Kremlin narratives.

### Q: When was War on Fakes created?
A: War on Fakes was launched on February 23, 2022, the day before Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

### Q: How reliable is War on Fakes?
A: Media Bias/Fact Check has assessed War on Fakes as "known to be unreliable" since February 2024, citing its deceptive fact-checking claims.

### Q: In which languages does War on Fakes operate?
A: The website operates in 10 languages: English, Finnish, Russian, Slovene, Ukrainian, French, German, Spanish, Chinese, and Arabic.

## Why It Matters
War on Fakes matters as a prominent example of state-sponsored disinformation operations during the Ukraine conflict. By mimicking legitimate fact-checking platforms while amplifying Russian propaganda, it exploits public trust in verification systems to spread falsehoods. Its multi-language deployment enables targeted disinformation campaigns across international audiences, complicating global information ecosystems. The project's deceptive framing—posing as a fact-checker while being labeled unreliable by media analysts—underscores the evolving sophistication of information warfare tactics. Its launch timing coinciding with the invasion suggests strategic coordination with Russian military objectives, making it a critical case study in hybrid threats.

## Notable For
- Being a Russian disinformation website launched on the eve of the 2022 Ukraine invasion.
- Deceptively claiming fact-checking goals while spreading pro-Kremlin narratives.
- Operating in 10 languages to maximize international disinformation reach.
- Being formally classified as "known to be unreliable" by Media Bias/Fact Check.
- Maintaining Wikipedia presence in five languages despite its disinformation status.

## Body
### Overview
War on Fakes is a website that presents itself as a fact-checking project but is officially classified as a Russian disinformation source. It was launched on February 23, 2022, with its primary domain being https://waronfakes.com/. The project operates under the guise of verifying information while promoting pro-Kremlin narratives.

### Technical Details
- **Domain**: https://waronfakes.com/ (French language qualifier)
- **Launch Date**: February 23, 2022
- **Wikidata Classification**: Instance of "project" and "website"
- **Sitelinks**: Maintains 5 Wikipedia sitelinks (English, Finnish, Russian, Slovene, Ukrainian)
- **Conspiracy Watch ID**: war-on-fakes

### Linguistic Scope
The website operates in 10 languages: English, Finnish, Russian, Slovene, Ukrainian, French, German, Spanish, Chinese, and Arabic. This multilingual approach enables targeted disinformation campaigns across diverse international audiences.

### Reliability Assessment
Media Bias/Fact Check assigned War on Fakes the ID "war-on-fakes-bias" and assessed it as "known to be unreliable" as of February 2, 2024. The assessment specifically notes its deceptive fact-checking claims, contrasting its stated goals with its actual disinformation function.

### Strategic Context
The project's launch coincided precisely with Russia's invasion of Ukraine, suggesting operational coordination with state objectives. Its mimicking of legitimate fact-checking platforms represents a sophisticated disinformation tactic designed to exploit public trust in verification systems.