A video appeared from Kazakhstan. Local residents made a person cover a Z symbol on his car with paint.

He tried to justify himself that his last name, Zinovyev, starts with a Z, and apologized for his actions.

https://t.me/pravdaGerashchenko_en/27934

    • Wilshire@lemmy.caOP
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      1 year ago

      “Z” is a military symbol that the Russian military has been painting on vehicles in Ukraine. It’s become a pro-war symbol for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

      • Alto@kbin.social
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        1 year ago

        To expand, it’s essentially the Russian version of the German iron cross in ww2, and has very similar connotations.

        • Skua@kbin.social
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          1 year ago

          I’m not sure that analogy really holds. The iron cross had been part of German military iconography since before Germany was even a united country, whereas this Z thing appears to have popped up specifically for the current Russian invasion

          • Alto@kbin.social
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            1 year ago

            The connotations of the iron cross during ww2 and the Russian Z now are very much similar.

            Nowhere did I claim the connotation of the iron cross outside of ww2 carried the same connotation, because it very clearly doesn’t.

          • Alto@kbin.social
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            1 year ago

            That would be why I specified in ww2. The connotation is very different now.

    • Epilektoi_Hoplitai@lemmy.ca
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      1 year ago

      Upvote for a sincere question. Here’s the wiki article on its use as a fascistic pro-war symbol. Kazakhs are unhappy with it because they too are a country that Russia makes territorial claims against and are thus largely opposed to the war and its symbols.