You have commented 339 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia
Mysterious ‘Z' Painted on Russian Tanks Closing in on Ukraine Border
2022-02-20
[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.
Posted by:Besoeker

#16  Remembering in counter intelligence course the idea of individualized markings within a classified document or pieces of equipment that were being leaked to ID the perp by unique signature. Punctuational marking errors, so slight that they are invisible, or minor defects that are placed in altered places. SO maybe Putie is just using the high level scrutiny by the west to detect sources and methods? He is after all, KGB at heart.
Posted by: NoMoreBS   2022-02-20 15:24  

#15  Invasion markings are not a good sign for peace.

ARGUABLY they could be distinguishing between sides in an exercise.
Posted by: Rob Crawford   2022-02-20 14:40  

#14  Obviously trolling Ukraine's comedian-president. Z gets the joke, да?
Posted by: Merrick Ferret   2022-02-20 13:47  

#13  Z
Posted by: M. Murcek   2022-02-20 12:40  

#12  It's for Z last time we see them.
Posted by: Slappy   2022-02-20 12:39  

#11  ZZZzzzzzz is taunting Biden

It may not be correct, but this is my favorite answer so far.
Posted by: SteveS   2022-02-20 11:30  

#10  Or the big star on US vehicles during WW@
Posted by: Chris   2022-02-20 09:52  

#9  It's a last stage or last minute measure intended to reduce friendly fire. In this case, from HIND attack helo's or RU jet fighters.

Note the inverted 'V' on this Abrams tank in the Kuwaiti theater of operation.

Also note the 'invasion markings' on the WWII C-47 at #1.
Posted by: Besoeker   2022-02-20 09:43  

#8  I'm not saying the Russian markings have anything to do with the discussion of chevrons at this link, but it could be something similar.
Posted by: M. Murcek   2022-02-20 09:36  

#7  There doesn’t appear to be a letter shaped like a Z in the Russian alphabet. Could it be a number 2?
Posted by: trailing wife   2022-02-20 09:28  

#6  ZZZzzzzzz is taunting Biden
Posted by: Frank G   2022-02-20 09:23  

#5  OMG! Z is the last letter of the alphabet. This can only be a reference to the end of the world. Or not.

A Russian "Z" looks similar to "3" and is the 9th letter of their alphabet. Unlikely to be painting their vehicles with Roman letters, I'm gonna guess this is some sort of graphic showing what unit they belong to.
Posted by: SteveS   2022-02-20 09:11  

#4  pictures show trucks, not tanks

also, I'm pretty sure there is no pure Z sound in Russian --

they have a ZH sound and some others which sort of have a Z but not like the Z is zoo
Posted by: Lord Garth   2022-02-20 09:04  

#3  Perhaps they're gamesmen.
World War Z: Aftermath

Posted by: Skidmark   2022-02-20 07:01  

#2  Shades of "I think these are rubber bullets. Can anyone confirm?



Journalists: Without them, where would people in echo chambers go to remain activly misinformed?
Posted by: M. Murcek   2022-02-20 06:38  

#1  "Mysterious" to some possibly.
Posted by: Besoeker   2022-02-20 06:33  

00:00