But the origins of the symbol remain a mystery. Prior to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the letter "Z" was seen painted on tanks as well as other military vehicles massing near the border.

It was initially suggested that the Latin letter “Z” was a Russian military symbol. But in recent days it has spread, and other theories about its meaning have emerged. The Russian Defense ...

The letter, painted on Russian military vehicles ... the St. George ribbon, which is a symbol of the Russian military. It is not uncommon for vehicles dedicated to a military campaign to display ...

The theory contends that the Arabic word used for the quantity being sought was al-shayun, meaning “something,” which was shortened to the symbol ... sound by the Greek letter “χ ...