Mysterious 'Z' Painted on Russian Tanks Closing in on Ukraine Border

[Wicked Blue]

Source: Daily Beast

While the world continues to watch Russian troops mass and maneuver at Ukraine’s vast borders, an esoteric group of investigative journalists and military experts are focusing on an ominous “Z” that has started appearing on military hardware heading towards Ukraine.

Video posted on social media has shown hundreds more tanks, communications vehicles and rocket launchers bearing down on the border. Many of those captured on camera have been painted with a “Z” inside a large white square.

Bellingcat reporter Aric Toler, says his group has been monitoring Russian military symbols for the last eight years, but they have “no idea what they [the Zs] are” and haven’t seen them before. “So, assume the worst, I guess/fear,” he wrote on Twitter.

...

Others have speculated Russia is borrowing a play used in World War II by allies who used symbols to avoid friendly fire accidents since most Ukraine tanks are Soviet era and easily confused with Russia’s fleet. There is also speculation that the “Z” could stand for Russian enemy no. 1: Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky, who has vowed he won’t be drawn into action by the saber rattling around his country.

Read more: https://www.thedailybeast.com/z-painted-on-russian-tanks-and-military-vehicles-near-ukraine-border?ref=scroll

[doc03]

1. I think it is to prevent friendly fire nt

[marie999]

2. Or it could be they are going to rid Ukraine of zombies.

[jgmiller]

3. It's just like US tanks had a chevron during the first gulf war

They do it to avoid friendly fire. In the middle of battle it's really hard to tell one type of tank from another. Reporters just love creating mysteries out of nothing.

Also the tanks the Ukraine has are all ex-Soviet tanks which are the exact same ones Russia has so they would get confused. One would think a smart Ukrainian general might do the same paint job but with a subtle difference and get the drop on some Russian tanks.

[Jedi Guy]

7. Isn't that a war crime though?

I seem to recall reading that dressing up in the enemy's uniforms/colors is a war crime. I also remember the Nazis doing something similar. Believe it was called Operation Werewolf or something like that.

[InstantGratification]

14. Not the same thing

They have some of the same equipment. As long as each army is using their home nation's colors and markings, they aren't crossing the line. The only way this would count is if the Ukrainian forces had that "Z" on them and the Russians were impersonating that. It seems far more likely that this is just to make "friendly" forces (from the Russian perspective) easier to identify. US forces did it with our fighters in WW2 to stop our own AAA units from firing on them.

[Jedi Guy]

15. No, I get the Russian intent of avoiding friendly fire by adding the "Z."

I was referring to the suggestion that Ukrainian tank units add the "Z" marking to throw the Russians off and make them think Ukrainian units were friendlies.

[jgmiller]

19. I think you're confusing that with red cross/medical markings

I've never heard of impersonating your enemy as being a war crime.

Definitely painting a military unit as a medical unit and then fighting with it is a very big war crime. As is attacking a unit that is marked as such. That's why US Navy hospital ships are painted bright white with a huge red cross so there is no mistaking them as non-combatents.

[Jedi Guy]

24. I dunno honestly.

Under Article 39 of Protocol I of the Geneva Convention, it's illegal to "mask yourself as the enemy." Not sure if that applies to vehicles or only to personnel.

So maybe not a "war crime" per se but against the gentlemanly rules of war, if such a thing can be said to exist.

[LiberalLovinLug]

32. Hogan's Heros could never have been made!

[CloudWatcher]

27. War Crimes?

Like invading and taking the Crimea? Or our invasion of Iraq looking for those WMDs?

What's the point of defining war crimes if there are no consequences for violations?

[paleotn]

12. Exactly. They're fielding roughly the same equipment...

although Ukraine's are older models for the most part.

[C Moon]

28. Ukraine should paint Z's on all their Soviet era tanks.

[Javaman]

4. World War Z nt

[Jedi Guy]

8. Amazing book. Utterly mediocre movie. N/T

[Javaman]

9. Completely agree. I was so pissed at the movie

I was throwing things at the screen (I watched it at home)

[Jedi Guy]

10. I couldn't even watch it all the way through.

Once it became clear it was just another mindless zombie (heh) movie and not a thoughtful examination of the human condition against the backdrop of a zombie apocalypse, I turned it off in disgust. Done right, it could've arguably been the best zombie film ever made. Alas...

Hopefully Max Brooks got paid well, considering what they did to his baby.

[Javaman]

20. you heard the new walking dead show?

it's basically an adoption/adaption of the book without crediting it.

it's supposed to be an anthology of zombie stories from people who lived through the z apocalypse.

https://deadline.com/2021/10/tales-of-the-walking-dead-anthology-spinoff-series-amc-the-walking-dead-1234854559/

also, if you haven't watched it Black Summer on Netflix is fantastic zombie tv show.

[Jedi Guy]

26. I hadn't heard about a new Walking Dead show.

I kinda lost interest in season 9, but this sounds interesting. Also appreciate the recommendation for Black Summer, will have to give it a look.

[LT Barclay]

31. The best zombie movie is one that at first I didn't realize it was a zombie movie

Star Trek First Contact. Because the borg are essentially zombies.

[IronLionZion]

5. Zombies

or friendly fire. Anything is possible these days

[Skittles]

6. because Q would be too obvious?

Last edited Sun Feb 20, 2022, 10:23 PM - Edit history (1)

[Hiawatha Pete]

17. Bazinga!

[nvme]

21. NICE

[relayerbob]

22. Lol, yep

[paleotn]

11. They share a lot of tank and other vehicle designs from the Soviet days.

If looked at from a distance, in the fog of war, it's difficult to tell who's friend and who's foe if you're both using similar equipment.

[FailureToCommunicate]

13. Well then I hope the Ukrainian tank commanders are furiously painting the same on

theirs.

[Talitha]

16. Zorro?

[Bayard]

29. You got to it before I did!

[Gore1FL]

23. Zanon was inevitable, wasn't it? It's just a short jump from Qanon. nt

[IndianaDave]

25. There is no "Z" in the Cyrillic alphabet. Unless the Russians are using the letter

which looks like our "3" or another, more complex Cyrillic letter, that I cannot reproduce here. If it is actually a Western Z, it makes no sense, unless it's intended for a Western audience.

[Bayard]

30. Looks like its just spray painted on

I agree, probably to avoid friendly fire.

[Historic NY]

33. Boys, don't shoot until you see the Z and shoot well.

[twodogsbarking]

34. Zuckerberg?

[Martin68]

35. If the "avoid friendly fire" theory is correct, it would behoove Ukraine to paint an identical "Z"

on their tanks. Their situation will be desperate in any case.