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A mine sniffing dog, credited with detecting more than 200 explosives since the start of the war in Ukraine, has been given a medal for his services to the country.
Patron, a two-and-a-half-year-old Jack Russell terrier, was presented with the award by Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskiy at a ceremony in Kyiv.
The pint-sized terrier, whose name means “ammo” in Ukrainian, sniffs out Russian mines and explosives in the northeastern city of Chernihiv and acts as a mascot of the country’s State Emergency Service.
He has become a national symbol of Ukraine’s resistance against Russia, regularly featuring in videos on official Ukrainian social media channels.
Zelenskiy presented Patron and his owner, Mykhailo Iliev, with their awards at a news conference, alongside Canada’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau, who made a surprise visit to the country on Sunday.
As Patron was presented with his award, Trudeau patted his pockets as though looking for dog treats. Zelenskiy described the terrier as “a wonderful little sapper” (a military engineer).
“Today, I want to award those Ukrainian heroes who are already clearing our land of mines. And together with our heroes, a wonderful little sapper – Patron – who helps not only to neutralize explosives, but also to teach our children the necessary safety rules in areas where there is a mine threat,” Zelenskiy said in a statement after the ceremony.