While “Z” might be Russia’s symbol of its invasion, a triangle represents Ukraine’s most audacious attempt to repel it.
They are taped or painted on the sides of every supply truck, tank, or personnel carrier that heads towards the Russian border in the Sumy region.
It’s an offensive that has seized hundreds of square kilometres of Russian territory and palpably restored momentum and morale to Ukraine’s war effort.
The Russian official in charge of the border region of Kursk has spoken of 28 settlements under Ukrainian control and almost 200,000 Russians have fled their homes.
Tomash has just returned from Ukraine’s cross-border mission along with his comrade “Accord”, who nonchalantly says it was “cool”.
Their drone unit had spent two days paving the way for the cross border incursion.
“We had orders to come here, but we didn’t know what that meant,” Tomash admits as he pauses for a coffee at a petrol station.
“We suppressed the enemy’s means of communication and surveillance in advance to clear the way.”
Exactly how much Russian territory has been seized is uncertain, although there is scepticism over Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi’s claim that 1,000 sq km is under Ukrainian control.
Russia’s defence ministry insisted on Tuesday that Ukrainian attempts to push deeper had been thwarted but they have been proved wrong before.
Whatever the reality, it appears Kyiv is committed to this military gamble.
