You may have noticed a mysterious marking on Russian armoured vehicles advancing in Ukraine: the letter Z.
The symbol has been seen on Russian equipment and uniforms. Now, it is being shared by Russians to express their support of Vladimir Putin’s invasion.
On Saturday, Russian gymnast Ivan Kuliak stood next to Ukrainian rival Illian Kovtun at the Apparatus World Cup in Doha, Qatar, wearing a leotard with a “Z” on it. And over the weekend, a cancer charity in Kazan made children at a cancer hospice stand in a “Z” formation for a drone shoot.
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The symbol has been used as a meme on online forums like 4chan and has been co-opted by ultra-nationalists in cities across Russia and further afield. Some have even taken to posting “Z” on cars and delivery vans.
Markings like these, at least militarily, are not uncommon. During the Second World War, Britain used the Allied Star to stand out in battle, while Nazi Germany used the Swastika. But what does the Russian “Z” letter mean? After all, the letter does not appear in the Cyrillic alphabet.
According to Kamil Galeev, research fellow at the Woodrow Wilson Center, the letter “Z” may stand for “Za pobedy”, meaning “For victory”.
Yet Professor Michael Clarke, former director of the RUSI think tank, told Sky News the symbol could be location-based. Some convoys have had a large “V” drawn on them, indicating that they may be part of the Vostok East Forces, east of the country. So vehicles with “Z” might stand for “Zapad”, or “West”.
The symbol may also be part of a ploy by the Russians, who have historically used white stripes to symbolise friendly intent. The Russians used this tactic last year when it amassed thousands of troops in rebel-controlled areas in Ukraine’s east.
Whatever Russia’s intent, the letter “Z” has made its way into the mainstream as part of Vladimir Putin’s longstanding propaganda operation and has become the symbol of his country’s aggressive intentions in Ukraine. And whatever the reason, it’s not escaped anyone’s eye that Ukraine’s President is named Zelensky.
