The ‘Z symbol’ used by those who support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine draws attention. The symbol, which started to be used by many in just a few days, was also used by Russian gymnast Ivan Kuliak, and the decision of the International Gymnastics Federation to open a disciplinary investigation against Kuliak raised questions about this symbol.
After Russia’s occupation of Ukraine on February 24, the symbol, which is now frequently seen especially in social media, pro-Russian demonstrations and in some cities of Russia, is not only about the attitude towards Ukraine, but also carries the message of “Russian nationalism”. is observed.
It is stated that the letter ‘Z’, which is not included in the Cyrillic alphabet used in Russian, was first seen on tanks and other military vehicles of the Russian army, and on Russian military vehicles advancing towards Ukraine’s eastern border a few days before the invasion. After the invasion began, the letters O, X, A and V began to draw attention on Russian military vehicles and ammunition.
Various guesses have been made about the meanings of these letters. In one of them, it was claimed that the letters represented the area where vehicles and munitions were or will be deployed. There were also comments that the letter Z represents Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskiy, and the letter V represents Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
However, on the Instagram account of the Russian Ministry of Defense, which has not yet made an official statement on the subject, a post was made that the letter Z represents the expression ‘Za pobedu’, which means ‘victory’, and the letter V represents the ‘strength of truth’.
In the social media accounts of the state-affiliated Russian broadcaster RT, after the invasion began, sales advertisements of various products, including ‘Z symbol’ t-shirts and sweaters, which were stated to be designed “to support the Russian soldiers”, were advertised.
While the facades of some buildings and billboards in the cities were filled with Z symbols, the images of the moments when school-age children came together and formed the letter Z spread. Some officials have begun to promise to add the letter ‘Z’ by ‘renaming’ the regions they represent.
The symbol, which has been widely used by ultra-nationalist groups, is criticized by those protesting their country’s occupation of Ukraine. Anti-war protests across the country over the weekend were seen with some participants holding banners that oppose this symbol. A series of dark humorous posts about the Z symbol were also made on social media.