This was shared by the head of the pyrotechnics department of the State Emergency Service in the Chernihiv region and the owner of Patron, Mykhailo Iliev.
Iliev recorded a video with Patron, in which he mentioned that they are on a mission and congratulated Ukrainians on the upcoming New Year.
“Unfortunately, the enemy has left a significant number of various explosive devices in the soil that need to be removed as quickly as possible to prevent the civilian population from experiencing mine-explosion injuries and to allow them to return to their homes,” noted Iliev.
The five-year-old Jack Russell Terrier, trained to sniff out explosives, gained popularity at the onset of the full-scale war. According to data from the President’s Office, by May 8, 2022, Patron had helped detect 236 explosive devices.
Mykhailo Iliev acquired the dog for his son in 2020. Initially, they wanted to name the pet Bullet, but later realized that this name was not suitable. At the age of 6 months, he began service in the State Emergency Service.
In May 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky awarded the dog the medal “For Loyal Service,” while his owner Mykhailo Iliev received the Order of “For Courage” III degree.
Patron has attended meetings with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, then-Prime Minister of the UK Rishi Sunak, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Patron also has his own website, and approximately 395,000 people follow his Instagram page. The dog has also become the hero of a cartoon series.
In his honor, “Ukrposhta” released a postage stamp, and the band Karta Svitu recorded a song. In November 2023, TikTok users launched a flash mob with covers and mashups of this track. They reinterpreted it in various genres and styles, from punk to metal.