Why Z is for Putin
The last letter of the Latin alphabet has become the symbol of support for Russia’s war in Ukraine
IN CYRILLIC, THE letter “Z” is written “З”. But since Vladimir Putin launched his latest invasion of Ukraine on February 24th, the Latin form has proliferated inside Russia. Just days after the invasion, Maria Butina, a Russian spy-turned-politician, filmed a video of herself drawing Z on her coat. “Keep it up, brothers,” she declared. “We’re with you forever.” The governor of Kemerovo, a coal-mining region in Siberia unofficially called “Kuzbass” (“Кузбасс”’ in Cyrillic), decreed that its name would henceforth be rendered in a Cyrillic-Latin mix as “КуZбасс”. Ivan Kuliak, a Russian gymnast, plastered a Z on his uniform when he took the podium beside a Ukrainian competitor at the Gymnastics World Cup in Qatar on March 5th, causing the International Gymnastics Federation to start disciplinary proceedings against him. Why has the letter Z become a symbol of support for Vladimir Putin’s war?
More from The Economist explains
Who will lead Britain’s Conservative Party?
Here are the four candidates vying for the daunting job
When can parents be held responsible for their children’s crimes?
Mass shootings by young assailants are raising the question
Will the debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump matter?
Normally presidential match-ups hardly move the needle—but this is no ordinary year
What are the Murdochs fighting about in a secret Nevada court?
The outcome could shape the political orientation of the family’s media empire
The battle between drones and helicopters in Ukraine
Small cheap drones could pose a new threat to expensive Russian craft
A short history of political meddling with the Federal Reserve
Donald Trump’s attacks on the Fed are a throwback to the era before central-bank independence