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- It is common for military campaigns to display an identifiable mark.
- E.g., U.S. Army vehicles were painted with a big white chevron (^) when it fought Iraq (Gulf war).
- But Z as a Russian war symbol has gained so much popularity because of its spread among the civilians.
- A mysteriously shaped Z was first spotted on the Russian tanks and trucks on the Ukrainian border in Feb 2022.
- The letter was all over Russian social media channels within a few days, including pictures of people wearing clothing carrying the Z.
- Several schools posted pictures of students standing in a Z formation.
- And last week, a Russian gymnast also sported the Z insignia at a gymnastics World Cup event.
- Before the Russian Defense Ministry clarified its meaning, several theories floated on what Z stands.
- In an Instagram post last week, the Ministry suggested that Z meant Za pobedu (“for victory”).
- Earlier, people speculated if it denoted Russia’s number one target — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
- Some suggested Z was shorthand for “zapad”, which means “west” in Russian (the direction Russian forces would be marching).
Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
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