CENTRAL NEWS – In a recent video showing a joint convoy patrol between turkish and russian forces in the western countryside of Kobane, in Rojava (Northeast Syria), the marked symbol of the russian’s in the recent war against Ukraine was spotted in their vehicles.
First spotted on the side of Russian tanks and military vehicles amassing on the border with Ukraine, the letter “Z” has since become the main symbol of public support for Russia’s war in Ukraine. 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.
The symbol has also been embraced by pro-war supporters outside Russia – Serbs demonstrating in support of Moscow’s actions carried banners with the Z letter and painted it on the streets of Belgrade as they marched through Serbia’s capital.
The use of the symbol in their vehicles and units stationed in Rojava is an example of the showing of force and unity that the russian army wants to express. Symbology is a important weapon of propaganda, specially in war times and this is not a simple solidarity gesture.
But what does the symbol means?
There have been various theories put forward since Z was first seen emblazoned on military hardware, alongside other letters, including V and O. They have ranged from suggestions that they stood for the first letters of the full name of Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy, to suspicions that they represent the areas where the soldiers operating them were usually based. An Instagram post by the Ministry of Defence has meanwhile suggested that the Z symbol stands for “za pobedu”, or “for victory”.
