Z and V: Symbols of the Russian war in Ukraine

'Whatever the symbol truly means, for Ukrainians it's simple: the enemy, the occupier'

i24NEWS - Reuters
i24NEWS - Reuters
2 min read
2 min read
A protester paints the "Z" sign on a street, in reference to Russian tanks marked with the letter, during a rally organised by Serbian right-wing organizations in support of Russian invasion in Ukraine, in Belgrade, Serbia, March 4, 2022.
A protester paints the "Z" sign on a street, in reference to Russian tanks marked with the letter, during a rally organised by Serbian right-wing organizations in support of Russian invasion in Ukraine, in Belgrade, Serbia, March 4, 2022.Andrej ISAKOVIC / AFP

Once only donning Russian tanks crossing the border into Ukraine, the symbol "Z" and sometimes "V" now represent support for the invading country. 

The letters are splashed across Russian weapons, but the question remains: What exactly do the symbols stand for?

Video poster

Some speculators claim it stands for the Russian phrase for victory, or the Russian words for peace or protector.

Another frequently floated explanation alleges the different markers are used to distinguish the different Russian forces, a claim repeated by the Ukrainian armed forces, with the Z denoting forces from the Eastern military district, the Z inside of a square representing Russian forces from Crimea, and so on.

Others suggest the Z stands for the Russian word for west, and V stands for east. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says, "Whatever the symbol truly means, for Ukrainians it's simple: the enemy, the occupier."

Yet, in Russia, it's not a rallying cry. 

The symbol has been adopted by pro-war forces to send a message of support for the army and President Vladimir Putin, who launched the campaign against the Ukrainians. 

The Z has been seen on Russian cars, even the ones of businesses. The Russian military published a symbol in pro-war propaganda, posting 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.

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