WASHINGTON — Another Russian athlete is facing disciplinary action, only this time it's because of his decision to tape a letter "Z" on his uniform.
The incident -- which occurred while the athlete, 20-year-old Ivan Kuliak, stood next to a Ukrainian competitor at a gymnastics world cup event in Doha, Qatar -- was widely condemned by the international community as the letter has become the de-facto symbol of support for Russia's war in Ukraine.
"Z" has now popped-up everywhere with a strong pro-Russian sentiment: appearing on the sides of tanks invading Ukraine, spray-painted on picket signs of pro-war rallies, and even outlined by terminally-ill children outside a hospice in Kazan.
So what does the letter "Z" represent? And how did it become the emblem of Putin's aggression?
What does "Z" mean?
There does not appear to be a single, definitive explanation for the meaning behind "Z" in this context.
Ukraine's Armed Forces have said the letter is an identification symbol for the Russian military, with "Z" identifying Russia's Eastern Military District and a "Z" enclosed in a square identifying Russian forces from Crimea. According to The Guardian, the Russian Defense Ministry has publicly stated that "Z" is the first letter in the phrase "za pobedu" which translates to "for victory."
But others have offered their own take on the debate. CNN reported that some military experts believe the letter might stand for "zapad" which means "the West."
And in a heated exchange at a UN Security Council meeting, Ukraine's ambassador to the UN said he believes the letter is a reference to the word "zveri" which means "beast" or "animal" in Russian, a claim Russia's ambassador rebuffed.
Regardless of its origin, what's clear is that the symbol has been embraced by those supporting Putin's war, both inside and outside Russia.
How did "Z" become so ubiquitous?
"Z" perhaps bites into Russian nationalism simply because it was chosen as the distinctive marker of Russian forces invading Ukraine: displaying the symbol now easily identifies support of the Russian military.
While "Z" does not exist in the Cyrillic alphabet, many Russians are familiar with the Latin alphabet, and it is quick and easy to write or paint for display.
But Russia's government has also launched a campaign for the letter to become a mainstream identifier.
The Kremlin-funded RT news network is currently selling apparel and merchandise marked with a white "Z." And Russian authorities have also organized flash-mobs and catchy social media videos that proudly push the letter.
The result: all throughout Russia, people are now displaying "Z" bumper stickers, wearing "Z" t-shirts, and vandalizing the homes of Putin's critics by spray painting the letters on their front doors.