Russian Z Symbol Meaning: What Does The Z On Russian Military Vehicles Mean?

Military experts have interpreted the “Z” as “Za pobedy,” Russian for “for victory”.

Z symbols have also been painted on Ukrainian front doors in areas successfully taken by Russian forces.

The Z symbol has also become a symbol of new Russian ideology and national identity.”

Russian forces have used the letter Z as an identifying symbol on their vehicles in Ukraine. It was also spotted on Russian tanks in the Syrian civil war.

Ordinary Russians have been painting the symbol on their billboards, bus stops, taxis, a funeral hearse and sketched onto walls in a seemingly voluntary show of support for the invasion.

Scores of black SUV vehicles flew flags with the Z symbol as they rode in convoy along a highway in support for Putin’s actions in their neighbouring country.

Athlete Ivan Kuliak finished third in the parallel bars final at the Apparatus World Cup in Doha over the weekend and displayed the letter “Z” on the front of his outfit as he stood on the podium next to Ukrainian rival Illia Kovtun, who won the gold.

Russian soldiers have been reportedly using the badges gained after killing Ukrainian soldiers to form a Z in trophy photos.

Russian media and social media accounts who support the invasion sometimes add a Z in their names or logos.

The Z finger sign is also reportedly becoming popular among Russian streamers online.

lt has been adopted by Russian nationalists, including instagram influencers, while pro-Putin politicians Mikhail Delyagin and Maria Butina have been spotted wearing Z badges and T-shirts.

Professor Michael Clarke, former director of the defence think tank Rusi said:
“Often these symbols will be location-based – they will be communicating where a unit is heading.

“The fact that they are different tells you more – they are probably signs which tell you which units are heading to the north-east or north-west of a district, for example.”

It could also be used to stop ‘friendly fire’ between other Russian combat vehicles, as the Russian and Ukrainian tanks are of the same model.