They are in the backs of military vehicles that invade Ukraine and have proven to be a mystery to many observers. Here is the military historian’s explanation
These inscriptions surprised even military experts, who had been speculating for several days and could not agree on an explanation. They were disoriented by the fact that neither “Z” nor “V” are letters of the Russian Cyrillic alphabet. Some even risked that the zeta would refer to Ukrainian President Volodomir Zelensky, whose head appears to be Vladimir Putin’s ultimate target.
The truth is that the Russian and Ukrainian armies have many models of tanks, weapons and military vehicles. In fact, one of the main tank factories of the Soviet Union, which continued to supply the Russian and Ukrainian armed forces, is located in the second Russian city of Kharkov.
Therefore, it is no less necessary to clearly define the membership of this or that army on the ground.
In recent hours, French military historian Cédric Mas has shed light on the mystery of letters about Russian tanks and vehicles.
Some Russian cars have a “V”, but there are fewer because they come from a region farther from Ukraine
As he explained, “Z” is used by invading troops from the Western District (ZVO), one of the five subdivisions of the Russian Armed Forces, headquartered in St. Petersburg. Of course, this is the garrison that is closest to Ukraine, and that is why it provides the most troops for the current invasion. Although his name in Cyrillic is the Western Military District, the transliteration of his initials into the Latin alphabet is ZVO.
Meanwhile, the “V” identifies troops coming from the Eastern District (VVO), much further away from the current conflict zone.
Many times these letters are drawn in triangles that identify the southern sub-region, or circles or squares that identify the center of the country within the ZVO or VVO, Mac added.
Russian cars are painted in dark green or three tones
“Ukrainian brands are different and less visible. In any case, these signs, painted in white (in a red square for Belarusians), may fade over time even in inclement weather,” he continued to explain in a thread on his Twitter account.
He also noted that another way to identify armies is camouflage. Russian tanks and transports use two types of paint: solid dark green and tricolor (green, sable and brown). While Ukrainians use 3 or 4 shades of green, but with a distinctive detail: pixilated paint spots.
Symbol of those who support Putin’s invasion
The “Z”, worn by most Russian tanks, quickly became the symbol of those supporting the Russian outpost, rejected in most parts of the world. Russian gymnast Ivan Kulyak caused controversy at the recent Artistic Gymnastics World Championships by putting a “z” on the clothes he wore to compete.
Although this letter does not exist in Cyrillic, it is easily recognizable and recognizable to Russians. “Often in propaganda, the simplest things get hooked the fastest,” explained Emily Ferris, junior Russia and Eurasia researcher at RUSI, who assured the BBC that the “Z” is a powerful and easily recognizable symbol. “It’s pretty scary and rude. From an aesthetic point of view, this is a very powerful symbol.”
