Nearly two weeks into Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the letter "Z" has reportedly become a pro-Putin war symbol. The symbol has been spotted emblazoned on Russian tanks, armoured personnel carriers, other military vehicles and even cars, vans, bus shelters, and advertising hoardings. Along with "Z" other letters like O and A were also reportedly spotted. And, this has become a talking point on social media.
What actually does "Z" mean here?
Russian analyst Kamil Galeev suggests “Z” could be interpreted as “Za pobedy” (for victory). Others see it as “Zapad” (West).
“This symbol invented just a few days ago became a symbol of new Russian ideology and national identity,” Galeev said on Twitter.
Meanwhile, Russian gymnast Ivan Kuliak created quite a stir at the Gymnastics World Cup on Saturday. Kuliak is facing disciplinary proceedings by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) for displaying the letter "Z" on the podium next to a Ukrainian rival in Qatar.
"Following the February 24 invasion, government supporters have used the letter, which does not exist in the Cyrillic alphabet used in Russia, to show solidarity with the armed forces fighting in the neighbouring country," Al Jazeera reports.
According to the BBC, "Initially, it was thought that the "Z" was in fact a number "2" - representing the 22 February (22/02/2022). That was the day Russia ratified an agreement on "friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance" with the self-proclaimed breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine - Donetsk and Luhansk."
But it is now believed the symbol is simply a way for Russia's military to identify its own forces.
Last week, the BBC added, viewers to a news programme on Russia's state-controlled Channel One were told that a "Z" was a common marking on Russian military equipment. The Orthodox Christian pro-Putin website Tsargrad told readers the simple marking could "avoid friendly fire" and couldn't be "mixed up with anything else".
According to The Guardian, Russia has a history of promoting certain signs and symbols to gather support for its military. During the country’s annexation of Crimea, Russia heavily promoted the use of the orange- and black-striped ribbons of Saint George. The ribbon now enjoys wide popularity in Russia as a way to show public support for the Russian government and the military.