"Z" on a policeman's helmet in Austria: police explanation

A police officer in the Austrian capital Vienna has been forced to explain to the public why he had a "Z" on his helmet while on patrol. The explanation was published by the Vienna police on Tuesday, 26 December on X (Twitter).

The Vienna police responded to the outrage on social media. It is explained that the "Z" is the first letter of the surname of the police officer, who so designated his helmet to be recognised in an operational environment.

The colleague did not pay attention to the symbolism, but, of course, was informed, and the marking was removed, - stated in the message.

The police emphasised that the letter was not a reference to Russia.

It is known that Russian invaders use the letters "Z" and "V" to mark their equipment, as well as in propaganda materials. This symbolism is officially banned in Ukraine.