Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday awarded the medal of 'Excellence in Service' to Patron, a four-legged member of the country’s armed forces. The Jack Russell terrier, a service dog, was credited with locating and preventing the detonation of at least 200 explosives since the beginning of Russia’s war on Ukraine on February 24.
Patron received his award during a press conference that Zelenskyy held with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who made a surprise visit to the war-torn nation on Sunday. The award also went to Patron's owner, a major in the Civil Protection Service, Myhailo Iliev.
"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 neutralise explosives, but also to teach our children the necessary safety rules in areas where there is a mine threat," Zelenskyy was quoted as saying by news agency Reuters.
{{/usCountry}}"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 neutralise explosives, but also to teach our children the necessary safety rules in areas where there is a mine threat," Zelenskyy was quoted as saying by news agency Reuters.
{{/usCountry}}During the ceremony, the audience burst into laughter as Patron barked and happily wagged its tail after receiving a pat from Zelenskyy. Meanwhile, a smiling Trudeau looked on and cheered.
Patron has won hearts of the people from around the globe for his heroic services to Ukraine amid the ongoing war. Earlier, Ukraine's foreign ministry had hailed the four-legged hero for discovering over 150 explosive devices in the city of Cherchiv.
“Patron is a service dog in Chernihiv. He has discovered over 150 explosive devices in Ukraine since the full scale Russian invasion began. Patron works closely with deminers to make Ukrainian cities safe again. Thank you so much for your service,” the ministry had written in a tweet.
(With inputs from agencies)