World War Z

Barbie Latza Nadeau (Daily Beast) and Megan Sheets (Independent [UK]) draw the connection.

Comments

[Shawn Levasseur]

Don Diego de la Vega was unavailable for comment.

[Rossami]

The linked articles keep going on about how "the letter ... was inexplicably painted on the rear of [Russia's] tanks and other vehicles."

There is nothing "inexplicable" about it. It's a routine technique used by militaries everywhere to minimize friendly fire incidents. Simply put, you paint or tape something distinctive on the back of your vehicles where the enemy can't easily see them but your own troops can. And recognizing the symbol, they hopefully won't shoot you in the back. During the Gulf War, the coalition forces used an inverted V for the same purpose.

People are giving the symbol more meaning since but the initial use of the symbol by the military is perfectly explainable. As to why a "Z", it's easy to make, distinctive at distance and not a letter used in the Cryllic alphabet (which both Russian and Ukrainian use).

[Commenter_XY]

The authors drew no connection I could discern.

[not me]

They both used "World War Z" in the titles of the article. That is the connection.