German court fines man for displaying Russian "Z" symbol

A court in Hamburg has fined a man for mounting the "Z" symbol in the rear window of his car with €4,000, the Deutsche Welle reports.

The Latin letter Z is widely used to express support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine. 

According to court documents, the 62-year-old man had already previously attached a blue "Z" painted on it to the rear window of his car and drove through the northern megapolis with it.

The prosecutor found him guilty of “attempting to express his support for the Russian war of aggression”.

The "Z" symbol can be seen on Russian tanks and other military vehicles in Ukraine since February 24, yet it seemed that its usage in the military conflict came about spontaneously, leaving many to speculate on its meaning.

According to Lenta.ru, some sources believe Z stands for the Russian phrase “За победу” - pronounced "za pobedu" (meaning "for the victory"), while others say it is for "Zapad" (West). It was quickly adopted as a propaganda sign of support for aggressive war and confirmed as such by the country’s ministry of defence.

In Germany, the use of this symbol in a corresponding context is punishable because it represents the approval of a war of aggression that violates international law.