Ukraine war: Russian Z campaign whips up support for Putin’s ‘special military operation’
- The Russian establishment is increasingly using the letter Z to symbolise its war on Ukraine
- The letter had initially appeared on Russian tanks in Ukraine, hastily painted on the side in white
It’s popped up on bus stops, road signs and even a pram in Russia: a “Z” sign to whip up support for what Moscow describes as its “special military operation” in Ukraine.
The campaign takes as its motifs the distinctive “Z” and “V” markings that Russia displayed in white on the flanks and noses of tanks and armoured vehicles that invaded Ukraine on February 24.
The letters – as well as a long diagonal stripe – were assumed to be markers for Russia’s army to identify its different force contingents, though that has not been confirmed.
As the invasion enters its third week, Russia’s defence ministry is promoting the symbols and on Wednesday published a promotional video called “Z Heroes”, using the “V” and “Z” to spell out the words for bravery, heroism and strength in truth.
T-shirts with a “Z” logo are for sale in online shops and on state television station RT’s website. A “Z” sign was seen on the front of a pram in the far east Amur region, local media said. The coal-mining region of Kuzbass is now spelling its name with a Latin Z instead of the Russian character.
In the northern Arkhangelsk region, the local legislature beamed a “Z” sign on the side of its building after night fell by turning some of the lights on.
