Babushka Z: The woman who became a Russian propaganda icon

An elderly Ukrainian woman brandishing a red Soviet flag has become the unlikely face of Kremlin propaganda after a video of her encounter with Ukrainian soldiers went viral. The BBC tracked down “Babushka Z” to try to establish the truth behind the incident.

“I don’t think they should glorify me. I am just a peasant woman. I don’t understand why I’ve become a celebrity.”

The woman who has become known as Babushka Z – “grandmother” in Russian, the Z referring to the symbol often painted on armoured vehicles – is gobsmacked when the BBC shows her photos of her newfound fame. “I’ve never seen any of it,” she says.