wanna-be conquerors are not flying their national flag, that single character has taken on special significance. at a recent gymnastics world cup event, 20-year-old russian competitor ivan kuliak accepted his bronze medal wearing a "z" prominently on his chest. he was standing next to a ukrainian athlete. the sports governing body described it as shocking behavior. but how do you describe this. terminally ill children and their careers formed a giant "z" outside a hospice in the russian city. >> the city is co-opting young children to be propaganda mechanisms for their war. it is dangerous when small little symbols become proxies for being a loyal citizen in an authoritarian regime during a time of war. those who don't wear it, those who don't show the "z" could be targeted by the state. >> reporter: and in this highly produced propaganda video, russian men wearing that letter