Mysterious 'Z' Symbol Is Written On Russian Military Vehicles Seen In Ukraine: Here's What It Means

Several Russian military trucks with the symbol "Z" written in white were seen parading near the border ahead of Moscow's military operation in Ukraine.

The symbol was also spotted on an array of military vehicles, at times inside a triangle or a square, near the city of Belgorod in Russia, located less than 20 miles (32km) from the Ukrainian border.

Videos and still images of the vehicles show the letter either by itself or enclosed by a white triangle, square or circle. Other symbols 〞 such as a white triangle with two lines on either side, red triangles, white circles, white triangles and white slashes 〞 have also been spotted on some of the vehicles.

russian-tank

What are the speculations?

The markings are not just limited to tanks, but have also been seen on trucks and amphibious rigs. Most observers suggest the markings are identifying signals to fellow Russian troops in order to avoid being victimised by friendly fire.

Others have speculated that the markings could identify what company the vehicles are a part of or where they are supposed to be headed in the event of an invasion.

But, what does it mean?

Professor Michael Clarke, former director of the defence think tank Rusi, told Sky News: ※Often these symbols will be location based 每 they will be communicating where a unit is heading. If they were only to mark the vehicles as being Russian, you could just use one symbol. Such signals are not out of the norm for vehicles used in combat."

tank Z symbol

During World War II, the United States military employed similar markings on armored vehicles and jeeps for identification purposes. ※The fact that they are different tells you more 每 they are probably signs which tell you which units are heading to the north-east or north-west of a district, for example.§

He said that these markings are normally only applied shortly before an attack, so that the enemy forces cannot copy them.

The symbols mirror UK and US tactics in the First Gulf War when forces sent to liberate Kuwait marked vehicles with an upturned chevron.

Reuters

A source in Kyiv told The Sun at the weekend: ※It would suggest final preparations are complete. ※It＊s vital that any attacking force can be distinguished, particularly from the air where Russian forces will have complete control.