Z-Propaganda and Semiotic Resistance: Contesting Russia’s War Symbols in Moldova and Beyond
Journal: Comparative Southeast European Studies
Year: 2023

Abstract This article examines the range of strategies adopted by various states vis-à-vis the symbols of the Russian war against Ukraine—the St. George ribbon and the letters Z and V. First, it analyzes their genealogy, illustrating how the St. George ribbon reflects Russia’s new authoritarian-imperial identity, while the Z and V originate from ultranationalist Telegram communities promoting white supremacist and genocidal ideas. Second, the concept of semiotic resistance is proposed to explain