- Sellers on
Taobao , a Chinese marketplace akin to Amazon, are selling shirts with the pro-Russia "Z." - Insider saw at least four listings for the shirt, one of which had clocked over 100 sales.
Sellers on the online marketplace Taobao, known as
Insider saw at least four "Z"-related listings on the platform on Wednesday evening, local time. One of the sellers listed the shirts for around $14 and had recorded sales of more than 100 shirts.
The Taobao listing labeled the shirts as "Foreign creative shirts for military fans — Z is for victory." The shirts, which come in three sizes, had the large white Z emblazoned across the front.
Stylized in a thick brushstroke, the "Z" symbol was first spotted on February 22 on the sides of Russian military vehicles rolling into Ukraine's Donetsk region. It was quickly co-opted by the far-right and has evolved into a pro-war symbol for Russia and a rallying insignia for Putin's supporters.
The reviews on the shirt on Taobao appeared to express a general sentiment of support for
"Just received this product. Not bad cotton. As for the meaning of the design, I believe everyone who buys this knows what it really means," read one review.
"For victory!" read the review of another satisfied customer, who gave the shirt a five-star rating. Insider did not find pro-Ukraine apparel on Taobao.
However, searches on other retail sites like Etsy surfaced listings expressing support for Ukraine. One Etsy shop, for example, is currently selling a shirt with a large red slash across a white "Z," with the listing containing the terms "I stand with Ukraine" and "Letter Z Stop Russia."
Representatives for