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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Politics
Rachel Wearmouth

Fury as Amazon caught selling Russian army-style 'Z' symbol T-shirts

Online retail giant Amazon has provoked outrage after advertising Russian military-style 'Z' symbol clothing on its website.

Long-sleeved tops, phone accessories and military green T-shirts bearing the controversial symbol, which some have nicknamed 'Putin's swastika', were selling for prices ranging from £10 to £15.99.

The sign - a white Z inside a square box - is being used to signal support for Vladimir Putin's war and has been visible on Russian tanks rolling into Ukraine.

Russia's defence ministry posted on Instagram late last week that the symbol came from the Russian За победу, which begins with a "Z" sound and means "for the victory".

The ads were swiftly removed on Tuesday morning and the Mirror has contacted Amazon for comment. It's not clear which manufacturer was selling the items, but Amazon had allowed the company a platform.

Labour has said businesses like billionaire Jeff Bezos' mega-retailer must "act responsibly" as the conflict tears apart lives in Europe.

(NBCUniversal/NBCU Photo Bank via)

Shadow Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, said: “These items are highly inappropriate and should never have been available in the first place.

"Amazon cannot on one hand decry the invasion of Ukraine and then profit from the misery the Russian army is inflicting on the other.

" Labour is resolute in our support for Ukraine and we encourage firms to act responsibly and do all they can do to support the Ukrainian people."

Russian gymnast Ivan Kuliak will be investigated by the sport's governing body after he wore the 'Z' symbol after finishing third in the parallel bars at a competition in Qatar over the weekend.

It came as the UN estimated the conflict had created more than two million refugees.

A number of Ukrainian cities have come under siege, including Mariupol and Kharkiv, with several reports emerging that Moscow's forces are targeting civilians.

Meanwhile, Russia has said it may close its main gas pipeline to Germany if the West goes ahead with a ban on Russian oil.

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