Terrible: “Z” anywhere in northern Mitrovica

In Russia, the letter "ZEC " is used as a symbol of the military invasion in Ukraine, drawn or climbed into civilian cars and bibords, and others have stamped it on their T - shirts.

I don't even know what Zelensky's name will be after they removed the letter "Ze%x1>, Dragan tells Radio Free Europe.

In northern Mitrovica on the evening of April 3rd, a group of citizens celebrated Aleksandar Vuciqi's Serbian Progressive Party victory, placing the symbol APUZ on their cars, waving party and Russian flags.

Even in the past weeks, the symbol "ZEC" was seen painted on the walls of several buildings in northern Mitrovica.

Jovan, a resident of northern Mitrovica, believes that the symbol ÉZU is drawn unconsciously by young people and, according to him, nobody supports such actions.

New people are doing this. They are unaware of the symbols and events of war and the horrors currently occurring in Ukraine”, Jovan says.

The symbol "ZEC" is seen on the walls of several buildings in North Mitrovica on April 6, 2022.
At the end of March, Ukraine has called on states to condemn the use of the symbol HINA, which is seen as supporting Russia's war in Ukraine.

Originally used in Russian tanks that have entered Ukraine, the letter "ZEC" is believed to mean “the pobedu” (for victory) and this symbol soon came to be used by the Russians as a sign of support for the invasion of Ukraine.

Three German landes, Berlin, Bavaria and Low Saxonia have already said that anyone using the symbol to promote war could be sentenced to up to three years in prison.

The German Interior Ministry has warned that those presenting the symbol to “backed the” invasion of “could be prosecuted”.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dimitar Kuleba has called on other countries to follow Germany's example.

“>Z) means Russian war crimes, bombing cities, thousands of Ukrainians killed”, Kuleba said in a Twitter post.

“should be prohibited public support of this new barbarism”

What is the position of Kosovo?

Kosovo's official position is the punishment of Ukraine's Russian holiday. Official Pristina has imposed sanctions on Moscow, in line with the sanctions of Western states.

Kosovo Police spokesman for the northern region Branislav Radovic tells Radio Free Europe that they have no guidelines on how to act when the symbol HINA is publicly promoted.

My “is unknown to me as to writing [the character ʹZ], unless a decision is made right now on this”, Radovic says.

Free Europe Radio has asked Kosovo's Government and Presidency questions about whether they are aware that the symbol HINA was being promoted in northern Kosovo, in support of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and whether it would be tolerated. But these institutions did not respond.

Criminal law expert Ismet Salihu says there is currently no specific provision of the Government of Kosovo, which would condemn the use of the symbol APUZ and support Russian aggression against Ukraine.

According to him, prosecution for Russian public support will not be possible in Kosovo, because no international trumpet has yet determined that this state has committed war crimes in Ukraine.

Ukraine and other states, as well as international organisations, have said Russia is violating the rules of war. They have accused Moscow of its soldiers committing war crimes against civilians as well as genocide.

War crimes and genocide are considered a crime only when a court finds it and is not based on words and writings”, Salihu points out. He believes that people who support either side cannot be prosecuted.

How did Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Macedonia react?

Since the beginning of Ukraine's Russian occupation on February 24th, the letter quite present in Russia, in support of war, military, Kremlin policy and, above all, President Vladimir Putin.

In the countries of the region, the symbol ÉZ has so far been used in Serbia in pro-Russian protests in Belgrade, and photos of this protest have also been published on social networks. This symbol has also been seen at gatherings organised by far-right groups in Serbia in support of Ukraine's Russian occupation.

Protests in Belgrade in support of Ukraine's Russian invasion. Serbia, March 13th 2022.
Serbia has condemned aggression against Ukraine, saying it supports Kiev's territorial integrity, but has refused to impose sanctions on Russia, as Western states have requested.

Meanwhile, the Northern Macedonia Ministry of Internal Affairs and the State Prosecutor's Office announced on April 6th that citizens of this state, the media and other subjects supporting war crimes suspects against civilians in Ukraine could be sentenced to up to five years in prison.

“The adoption or justification of genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes pose a crime according to Article 407 of the Penal Code”, the statement said.

Northern Macedonia has also joined international sanctions against Russia.

Meanwhile, Montenegro has not yet approved the decision to implement sanctions imposed against Russia.

Bosnia and Herzegovina, since the start of the crisis in Ukraine, has not had a common stance on fighting in this state and on sanctions against Russia.

Using the symbol "ZEC" in Russia

Photos of the symbol {Z) are also published in reports of the Russian Defence Ministry on social networks with descriptions “for peace”, “For justice” and “DemilitaryZim”.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has described the invasion of Ukraine as <x0 special military operation”. Some refer to it as the “Operation Z”, based on the letter CEʹ placed in Russian tanks and other military vehicles.

A Ukrainian soldier stands in a Russian military vehicle with a visual on the symbol "ZZ." Harkiv, March 29, 2022.
It is also believed that the symbol ÉZ also serves to distinguish Russian vehicles from Ukrainians so that Russian troops will not risk attacking their own soldiers.

Meanwhile, at the end of March, the Ukraine Embassy in Belgrade said that the symbol "ZEC" for Ukrainians meant Ukrainian witnesses. This embassy called on authorities in Serbia to remove this symbol from the walls of buildings and vehicles.

Earlier, the International Federation of Gymnastics initiated disciplinary procedures against gymnast Ivan Kuliac, who during the World Cup medal-sharing ceremony held in Doha in Qatar, held a necklace with the symbol tearZA.

A symbol of occupation

Security expert Kadri Kastrati says it is very surprising for someone in the 21st century to support an army that spares neither children nor women”.

Photos of civilians killed in Butcha, Ukraine, a town near Kiev, which Russian forces occupied in early March, and withdrew from there on April 1st have been published in recent days, prompting international condemnation, including charges of genocide and war crimes.

Kastrati says it is not surprising that the symbol ÉZ has appeared in northern Kosovo, because according to him, the Serb population living there is run by official Belgrade, which “ulletes on two” chairs, a term used to describe the policy balance that Government in Serbia has insisted on keeping in the last decade.

He recalls that Kosovo institutions have publicly declared their stand against Russian aggression in Ukraine and believes members of the Serb community should respect such a decision, despite Belgrade having good reports with Moscow.

He says he is a symbol of the Russian Army that “invaded an independent country” and should not be promoted as such.

Since the start of the Ukrainian Russian occupation, Kosovo's leadership has warned that Serbia may try to destabilise Kosovo, and therefore is demanding that it urgently join NATO. In early March, the Government of Kosovo decided to establish an inter-institutional task force for Kosovo's membership in the North Atlantic Alliance.

However, Kastrati believes there will be no destabilisation of the country and that Kosovo security institutions can counter any action in this direction.

“Kosovo is safe from the inside, has the Police, KFOR [NATO military mission], EULEX [EU Mission for Winding Law]. But it's not surprising to me that residents in the north [who are using the symbol "Z)], because somehow they're stimulated by Belgrade. Belgrade supports Russia and I think that Serbs in Kosovo and Kosovo in general belong to Europe, rather than to East”, he says.

He emphasises that Kosovo publicly emerged with the stance to condemn Ukraine's military invasion and on this topic it is listed on the side of other Western states. / REL/