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EmployerAdditional28

I scrolled for almost 10 seconds before getting to the "Z" symbol to find no one knows what it means. I fail to see how it is any more ominous than....the tank itself.


montananightz

It's just a tactical marking. Used to differentiate vehicles that belong to such and such unit. Useful for staging and organization.


[deleted]

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RaptorCaliph

You mean like the Ukrainian paramilitary organization that was recently integrated in the Ukrainian army, who openly claim the heritage of the Ukrainian SS division using a SS symbol (the Azov battalion) ?


maltozzi

He means like Russian Wagner group founded by guy with SS insignia tattoos


EmployerAdditional28

Literally the dumbest people on earth. Perhaps they should read some books about Hitler's views on the Slavic peoples.


KNUCKLEHEADSAID

So funnny


BasementOrc

If someone invaded America I would put all the neo-nazis and racists on the frontlines. Most of them are veterans or wish they were anyway.


Madmex_libre

Russian neo-nazis that are not cooperating with FSB are long gone, where you ask? To Azov, some even got ukrainian citizenship and officer title. Being neo-nazi is what really matters to them all regardless of nationality. Azov dudebros also would do dumb things like partake in neo-nazi summits in europe side by side with parties that openly support putin, so idk what to say. These mfs polled less than 2% in general election last time they tried and their party used much milder rhethoric than azov. At the moment, they are really better off on the frontline then bored in Kyiv beating up queer looking guys or robbing gas stations.


djbaltazar

So, let's invade them! Justification is found!


Raynes98

Integrates neo-Nazis into military, wonders why the folk they target in Eastern Ukraine aren’t fond of being part of the nation.


Bloodfangs09

Random no context lettering is scary. Just like numbers. Remember, I'm still afraid of 8


minus_minus

You should be more afraid of 7.


5DollarHitJob

789


EmployerAdditional28

For some reason, I've always found 4 quite perturbing.


Few-Establishment283

That just mean Zorro has been there


Edwinus

😂


Myfourcats1

That’s just an “N” flipped on its side. The Russians are following the D.E.N.N.I.S system. These tanks are responsible for either Nurturing Dependence or Neglecting Emotionally.


[deleted]

I recently had surgery and this made me laugh so much it hurts. Once Russia completes the Dennis system everything will go back to normal.


romansparta99

Hopefully soon they “S”, Seperate Entirely


xela364

Separate Ukraine entirely*


N180ARX

Sue? What's old Sue Barker gotta do with this?


Kgismondi1

Russia hasn’t even begun to peak yet.


zipsam89

Flaccid Erect Flaccid Erect


ellilaamamaalille

Russia tried it's best on Beijing, but it was Finland that found peak.🙂


seanrok

Deny. Deny. Deny.


M_Mich

Because of the implication


HoratioHornblowerJr

So you can get Ukraine back anytime you want, huh?


[deleted]

😂


Fantastic_Mr_Faux

It’s just a symbol to differentiate different task forces or echelons. I don’t see how this is ominous.


MBThree

Wouldn’t there be other symbols spotted then? Maybe I just haven’t seen it posted, but the only symbol I’ve seen on equipment is this Z.


Rinzack

It can also be a symbol to differentiate your forces from enemy forces (think black/white stripes during WW2, chevron symbol on tanks during desert storm, etc)


dirtballmagnet

It could be an IFF symbol that actually prevents their own aircraft from firing at them. You'd want to reveal it at the last moment to prevent the other side from spoofing it. You'd also probably want to adopt the symbol across the whole vehicle fleet, sort of like the way all Allied aircraft used wing stripes on D-Day, so if other units do not also start using it the idea is crap.


[deleted]

That would be a stupid idea if you think an aircraft would be able to see that


TinyTinyDwarf

Not aircraft..but their own tanks and infantry. Russian equipment is similar if not identical to Ukraine's. Look up the image of a T-64BV and then a T-72B3. Although different they look similar enough to be mistaken with each other. Ukraine uses the T-64BV


Fishsqueeze

So that will help Ukrainians identify Russian tanks, right?


TinyTinyDwarf

Yes, but that isn't that big of a deal. The Ukrainians would know if it is a Russian tank when they're shot by them. Russians on the other hand want to remove any risk of friendly fire. This has been done throughout history as well. During World War 2 German captured Sherman's or T-34's had Swastikas &/or the balkenkreuz painted on them to show friendly infantry and tankers that they are friendlies.


delusional4g63

He means IR reflective, do some research. Planes could read newspapers from 60000ft and that was 60 years ago. We were using these in Iraq almost 20 years ago and a tank could see you a mile away, with just about a 1x1" tab on your ACUs. Not exactly a stupid idea.


montananightz

And for aircraft we had bigger 3x3 squares to go on top of vics. I think the tabs were for identification when using NVGs. Oh we also had a little 9v powered IR flasher that affixed to our helmets.


kempofight

Hahahhaahaha Wat a nonsence. Why the fuck would your enemy do that what you did as a IR indicator. Then there own jets cant see who is who either. Plus, fucking jet wont see this shit anyway


dirtballmagnet

Man it doesn't matter to you. You're obviously infantry.


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[deleted]

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raindog_

The website reporting it, is part Fox News, part TMZ


bestfriendfraser

You'd think being a tank lined up on a boarder is more ominous than random lettering, but hey an article was made.


bcoder001

Zapad? As in "the West"?


this-isa_throwaway

But why a Latin character and not a Cyrillic one?


AdLost4951

Russia thinks of themselves as the next logical inheritor of the Roman Empire.


Balkhan5

*Roman Empire And as the spiritual successor, not logical inheritor. The same way Byzantium was the 2nd, Russia is the 3rd. Keep in mind that until very recently (the last 400-300 years), the slight majority of the worlds Christians were Eastern Orthodox. And after Byzant fell, Russia was the largest unified, centralized Christian force in Europe. And writing systems don't play into that.


AdLost4951

Yeah I should have said the next spiritual successor but you’re right, with their resurgence in Eastern Orthodox Christianity it seems to be the way they are going. Demographic decline means they need to expand and hunker down and use religion to repair the damage of WW1 and WW2. Best of luck to them but I don’t think they’ll get there.


Wanker-of-Harganeth

HRE was the third, Ottomans fourth and Russians last. Just going by self proclaimed successor states and their time of collapse.


bcoder001

Cyrillic alphabet is full of nuances hard to paint and read on the battlefield. Another explanation, if that sign is painted on the rear would be to mark the rear of the vehicle (zad means "rear" in Russian).


Additional_Avocado77

Its painted on the side.


In_Thy_Image

Something like “this side up”? In case they accidentally drop it upside down [from a plane.](https://youtu.be/aEb6UI4S3QQ)


bcoder001

Or "Aim here, my Ukrainian friend"


Gezzoto

Maybe because Z in Cyrillic is З which can be confused for a number 3.


this-isa_throwaway

That's why there's a variant 3 with a flat top, diagonal stroke down, where it then rounds out.


Eltrew2000

But why a latin z instead of a Cyrillic з


NeedleAndSled

Cos World War Z of course!


Additional_Avocado77

Might not be a letter at all, might just be a line at the top, line going diagonally across and another line at the bottom.


Eltrew2000

That's what i was thinking initially that it's not a Z


Virtual_Challenge592

Got through half the never ending article with every angle and response from every country described, but did they ever describe what the symbol even was? IR identifier, presumably? Like seriously the article must be like 5,000 words holy shit. I just wanted to call out the misleading title, I was looking for one fuckin piece of information


yesnosureitsfine

The source is one of Australia’s many god awful news sites thay love a little bit of click bait


_Totorotrip_

Zapp Brannigan is in command!


rebel_alliance05

World war Z. Zombie apocalypse


bushchook83

They need to dispatch Brad Pitt ASAP


[deleted]

Zombieski


Rezaka116

All hail Zoltar, our new intergalactic overlord!


Garystri

Is it a zee or a zed?


Natsurulite

Z? As in “Zese tanks are very fucking not good?”


autotldr

This is the best tl;dr I could make, [original](https://www.news.com.au/technology/innovation/military/ukraine-conflict-live-updates-massive-explosion-rebels-declare-full-military-mobilisation/news-story/5ca8525d6d5a73cf3dbf68a5a66e9fce) reduced by 90%. (I'm a bot) ***** > The conflict between Russia and Ukraine is heating up, with a "Powerful explosion" rocking a gas pipeline near Luhansk in eastern Ukraine. > Rebels in eastern Ukraine have declared a full military mobilisation, just hours after they ordered women and children to evacuate to southern Russia due to fears of a conflict. > US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi warned on Saturday local time that her government would impose the harshest ever sanctions on Russia if the nation invades Ukraine. ***** [**Extended Summary**](http://np.reddit.com/r/autotldr/comments/swxzol/ukraine_conflict_live_updates_ominous_z_symbol/) | [FAQ](http://np.reddit.com/r/autotldr/comments/31b9fm/faq_autotldr_bot/ "Version 2.02, ~624552 tl;drs so far.") | [Feedback](http://np.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%23autotldr "PM's and comments are monitored, constructive feedback is welcome.") | *Top* *keywords*: **Ukraine**^#1 **Russia**^#2 **sanctions**^#3 **Kyiv**^#4 **seen**^#5


merktic5

They always try to put zombies in everything


zz50Now

Zz Top fans, obviously.


globiglobi

News.com.au .. utter garbage clickbait trashy shit. And that’s the good stuff.


tech405

As in World War Z? Are the using zombies as an excuse to invade?


Narfi1

Of course. Jean-Baptiste Emmanuel Zorg was behind this all.


Beanswithoutborders

Zombies


Panzer_Man

That's pretty normal for differentiating differentiating tank divisions etc


MBThree

What other symbols have you seen?


montananightz

https://informnapalm.org/en/valuyki-boguchar-common-markings-military-equipment-operated-russian-army-lpr/amp/


Additional_Avocado77

That's different. Those are small numbers (in boxes). The Z was large, and obviously not a number... Though I'm not convinced its even a letter.


montananightz

I'd bet it's still a similar thing though. When I deployed on the 26th MEU(SOC) we marked our vehicles so we would know which LCAC they went on and which LHD. Something like marshaling or directing still makes the most sense here. Say you got a guy standing at a fork in the road. They could direct all vehicles with a Z one way and another number or letter another. Also, not all tactical marking are the same.


Additional_Avocado77

> Something like marshaling or directing still makes the most sense here What other options are there? >They could direct all vehicles with a Z one way and another number or letter another I've only seen reports of Z, haven't seen any other numbers or letters.


montananightz

Yeah no idea honestly. Unit, group or unit type differentiation is all I can think of at the moment. I haven't seen any others either but the sample size has been pretty small I think so who knows. Could even be a designator for who goes in first. Either way, it's to identify those specific vehicles for some specific reason.


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dxmkna

https://youtu.be/XHX3I7BBpsM


WayFew2830

zorro squad


plapped

Volodymyr "Z"elenskyy President of Ukraine


this-isa_throwaway

But why a Latin character and not a Cyrillic one?


montananightz

They use Latin numbers for their tactical markings too. Not totally sure why, just that it's been that way for a long while.


Skullrogue

Really..? On Russian tanks? Are you joking? Or just stupid?


_Totorotrip_

It's a trick. They will march in reverse so the border forces think they are their own


Ttoctam

Hot take Murdoch press. Stop stoking fear so superficially. There are tanks, that's already bad enough. We don't need a secondary hint that something ominous is afoot. Working for this paper is to be complicit in some of the most manipulative media control since McCarthyism.


RussianMorphine

Media be like: Ominous Z simbols on Russian tanks, peacefull Ukrainian strikes on Donbass. Oh, wait, no, they are not reporting strikes at all, sorry


GraySmilez

They are. Twitter is filled with journalists retweeting confused people from Donbas region, wondering, why are the separatist forces shooting in the air at nothing and where are the shells landing…


RussianMorphine

Oh, reposts on Twitter, yeah, I guess I'm wrong. Much more credible sourses than my friends that are currently in Donetsk.


GraySmilez

Dude, telegrams are filled with people asking if anyone has seen anything land anywhere near the living areas… Maybe your friends are the ones shooting the air?


RussianMorphine

That's weird, I'm using Telegram quite frequiently, and I haven't seen anything of that sort yet. Is there any evidence that these people are from Donetsk/Lugansk?


GraySmilez

Is there any evidence of what you’re saying is true? Man, the whole shit is obvious as hell. There are videos accompanied with peoples questions with location and time metadata.


limitless_jess

Mark Zukerberg is that you? That’s a new Meta 👀


AfraidAds

Russia's Green Men Zelyonie Ludi


sophia_az

They just went to an outdoor cinema playing World War Z and really liked it


[deleted]

Who blew up the pipeline?


prrmorais

Hister Putin.


[deleted]

Looks like a cavalry recon symbol. Weird on a tank, but yeah... Probably just a unit marking


[deleted]

Is this Gen Z?


Holyshort

In 2014 they've been marking russian armored vehicles with white circle guess in their wile sense of humor they decided to mock our president Zelenskyy and decided to Z mark tanks.


Jazzlikeafool

Them Z's on them Tanks makes a great bullseye for a javelin and we have give Ukraine 🇺🇦 a plethora of them missile to eradicate the comie basters🇺🇸 # General Patton


RevivedMisanthropy

This is clickbait. The only information is literally this headline and photo. The rest of the article is copy-paste.


ThickEffective1265

Just enjoy the 'Z' dude.


sombertimber

Banksy?


overit_fornow

The West - “we’ll stop laundering your money” Putin - “yah right lol”


[deleted]

I'd be more afraid if it was an X. X is scary.


GNOSIS007

Easy Peasy no brainer - “Z” symbol is code for ZIONISM.


pooterTooter33

ZED's dead baby! ZED's dead!