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A Ukrainian official in a Russian-occupied area of his country says Russian forces are transporting tanks marked with the Deathly Hallows symbol associated with the iconic Harry Potter series of fantasy novels and films.
Petro Andryushchenko, adviser to the mayor of Mariupol, pointed out the unexpected markings in a Telegram post describing Russian military movements. The significance of the icon to Russia's military isn't immediately clear. But the triangular symbol of Deathly Hallows has an austere significance in the J.K. Rowling novels and was spotted as Russia aims to seize full control of Ukraine's contested Donetsk region.
The video posted by Andryushchenko on Tuesday showed Russian trucks hauling tanks marked with the symbol. A Telegram post from him on Saturday included a closeup of a photo taken by a Ukrainian opposition group that showed the symbol resembling the triangular Deathly Hallows.
"The investigators noticed this mark when the 3rd Army Corps was deployed across Russia," wrote Andryushchenko. "Analysts assumed that it would be sent to the Donetsk region to strengthen the offensive and fulfill [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's instructions to enter the border of the region by September 15."
Andryushchenko added that "most of the equipment with such markings does not remain in the region," which he called "unusual movement activity for the third day in a row."
"No conclusions," he said. "Just an observation."
In the Harry Potter series, Deathly Hallows consists of a triangle with a circle and line inside, representing three magical artifacts. The triangle represents the Cloak of Invisibility, the line the Elder Wand and the circle the Resurrection Stone.
Whoever gathers all three powerful objects becomes the "Master of Death." But in the series, Albus Dumbledore, the head of wizard school Hogwarts, notes that "the true master does not seek to run away from Death. He accepts that he must die, and understands that there are far, far worse things in the living world than dying."
Mariupol, a southern Ukrainian city on the Sea of Azov, fell to Russia earlier in the war. Andryushchenko said in the social media post that Russian forces were headed toward Nikolsky, a town outside Mariupol in the Donetsk region.
Putin previously set a September 15 deadline to "liberate" Donetsk, a region in eastern Ukraine that is home to Kremlin-backed separatists.
The Ukrainian army's general staff reported Tuesday that it had "successfully repelled" Russian advances there.
Rowling, of Britain, previously tweeted her support for Ukraine in the war, referencing a Ukrainian Ironbelly, which is a fierce breed of dragon.
In a Telegram post, Ukrainian opposition group Resistance said that even Lord Voldemort, the powerful dark wizard and nemesis of Harry Potter, was unable to successfully wield the Deathly Hallows.
"Well, even in a fictional world, the Deathly Hallows did not save He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named," the group wrote. "And you will not be saved."
Newsweek has reached out to the Russian Defense Ministry for comment.
About the writer
Jake Thomas is a Newsweek night reporter based in Portland, Oregon. His focus is U.S. national politics, crime and public ... Read more