We have seen a surge of Russian army vehicles exhibiting a Z symbol in the recent invasion of Ukraine.  A Russian gymnast, Ivan Kuliak, recently taped the letter Z on the front of his shirt at the Gymnastics World Cup in Doha.  But what does this Z represent?  There are conflicting theories on social media and news portals about this. There are also different variations of the Z symbol, framed in a square or triangle.

Some say the Z symbol helps to reduce the chance of being hit by friendly fire, as Russian and Ukrainian forces make both use of similar tank models. 

Another reason put forward is that the different Z symbols pertain to the locations where these units are stationed.  According to other reports, this type of mark is used for Rosgvardia Troops (separate from the Russian Armed Forces). Rosgvardia Troops, from the Russian National Guard, report directly to President Vladimir Putin.

Some interpret ‘Z’ ‘as ‘Za pobedy’ (for victory) while others as ‘Zapad’ (West).  Russian military officials have officially not said anything about the symbols.

The ‘Z’ symbol also appeared on vehicles in Crimea, when it was annexed by Russia in 2014, according to The Independent.  Secret symbols are common in military conflicts. In 2003, the United States used a chevron to indicate the different battalions during the Iraq invasion.