Two German states outlaw the display of Russia's 'Z' war symbol

On March 26, two German states announced that public displays of the "Z" emblem used by the Russian army in their invasion of Ukraine have been banned.

In Lower Saxony and Bavaria, anyone who brandishes the emblem during protests or paints it on cars or buildings to demonstrate support for Vladimir Putin's war faces up to three years in prison or a fine.

Lower Saxony's interior minister, Boris Pistorius, remarked, "It is incomprehensible to me how this symbol 'Z' could be used in our country to condone this atrocity."

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The letter "Z," which appears in the Latin alphabet but not in Cyrillic, first appeared on military vehicles approaching Ukraine, probably to differentiate them from Ukrainian forces and avoid friendly fire.

However, the symbol has since become commonplace on Moscow streets, apparel, and social media accounts on the Russian internet, a trend that the Russian authorities are eager to promote.

There have been cases of such displays in the German state of Lower Saxony as well, according to the state's interior ministry.

Meanwhile, Germany has announced plans to reduce its Russian oil imports by half by the summer (starting in June), as Western nations aim to sever economic links with Moscow as retaliation for the invasion of Ukraine.

Prior to the outbreak of the war on February 24, Russia supplied a third of Germany's oil imports, 45 percent of its coal purchases, and 55 percent of its gas imports.

(With inputs from agencies)