Why are Russians using the 'Z' symbol?

First spotted on the side of Russian tanks and military vehicles amassing on the border with Ukraine, the letter "Z" has since become the main symbol of public support for Russia's war in Ukraine.  Following the February 24 invasion, government supporters have used the letter, which does not exist in the Cyrillic alphabet used in Russia, to show solidarity with the armed forces fighting in the neighbouring country.

There have been various theories put forward since Z was first seen emblazoned on military hardware, alongside other letters, including V and O.

The most popular theory used by military experts to explain the letters is that they were written according to the respective areas where the Russian troops are usually stationed, with Z potentially standing for Zapad (west).

The Russian defense ministry itself has not commented on any of the theories, and instead posted on its Instagram channel that Z meant Za pobedu ("for victory") and V stood for "power of truth".