Russian State Media Mistakenly Reports HMS Prince Andrew Aircraft Carrier Hoax

Russian state media outlet RT mistakenly reported on an April Fool's joke about a fictitious British aircraft carrier named HMS Prince Andrew, claiming it would cost £987.6 billion and would be armed with 'infinity-hundred' aircraft. The satirical piece, originally published by the UK Defence Journal, was filled with absurd details such as the ship being equipped with 'go-faster stripes' and extra crayons for planning. RT cited this joke as real news, suggesting Britain was expanding its navy in response to a 'Russian threat.' The editor of the UK Defence Journal, George Allison, noted that the prank was designed to expose the lack of editorial scrutiny in some media outlets. He expressed amusement at the incident, highlighting how easily disinformation can spread. RT's report has since been deleted, but its misleading claims sparked discussions about media accuracy and responsibility.