Russian nationalists adopt military symbol ‘Z’ to show support for war [Video]

• Supporters of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have identified with the “Z” symbol.
• The symbol, painted in thick white brushstrokes, was first seen on the sides of military vehicles invading Ukraine.
• The symbol has since been adopted by far-right supporters of Russian President Vladimir Putin and the war.

Russia’s “Z” emblem, first seen painted in thick white brushstrokes on the sides of military vehicles invading Ukraine, is now being used by Russian nationalists as a symbol of support for the war on Ukraine.

On February 22, the “Z” symbol was seen on Russian military vehicles moving toward Ukraine’s Donetsk region.

Several netizens surmised that the symbols could be a way to distinguish troops.

According to Kamil Galeev, a former Galina Starovoitova Fellow on Human Rights and Conflict Resolution at the policy think tank the Wilson Center, the letter “Z” could be short for something else.

Galeev explained that the “Z” could mean “za pobedy,” the Russian term for “victory.” Meanwhile, others thought it simply meant the troops were heading west (“zapad”).

Russian military sources have yet to confirm the symbol’s meaning.

The letter “Z” has become a symbol of Russian nationalism and support of Putin

The letter “Z” is not part of the Cyrillic Russian alphabet, but it has been used as a military symbol.

Supporters of the war have since adopted the symbol. Civilians have placed a “Z” symbol on their vehicles while businesses also co-opted the symbol.

Serbian protesters who supported the war also waved signs decorated with the symbol on March 4.

In Leningrad, Russian nationalist protesters were filmed wearing hoodies with the symbol, along with the words “We don’t give up our own.”

Other personalities also showed support for the war by showcasing the letter “Z” on their clothing.

Russian gymnast Ivan Kuliak taped a “Z” symbol on his uniform while accepting his third-place medal at the gymnastics World Cup in Doha on Sunday.

Convicted Russian spy Maria Butina, a current member of the Russian State Duma, shared a video of herself drawing a “Z” on the lapel of her blazer.

Supporters of the war believe in false Russian propagandist claims that the attack aims to “liberate” Ukraine from Nazis, but the Ukrainian government is an independently-governed democracy led by a Jewish president.

Source: Insider