Ukraine's pint-sized hero - Patron the mine-sniffing Jack Russell - gets his own Twitter account where the pup shows off his brave endeavours...and fashion sense!
- Patron the Jack Russell was recently awarded a medal for valour by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky
- He is 'soul and mascot' of group and helps State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SES) in clearing explosives
- Patron was bought to appear in dog shows, but has now detected more than 200 deadly Russian landmines
The world's favourite Ukrainian dog who has been awarded a medal for valour and has 250,000 Instagram followers has now got a Twitter account for his fans to keep up with.
Patron the two-year-old Jack Russell was recently awarded a medal for valour by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and is the star of billboards symbolising his country's defiance of Vladimir Putin.
He is the 'soul and mascot' of the group and helps the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SES) in clearing explosives.
Patron was originally bought to appear in pedigree dog shows, but has detected more than 200 deadly Russian landmines and unexploded bombs.
He first found fame when Ukraine's State Emergency Service posted a video online of their mascot working in the war-torn northern city of Chernihiv. He received his medal at the presidential palace in Kyiv with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who was visiting, looking on.
His owner Mykhailo Iliev is a bomb disposal expert and soon after buying Patron he realised how helpful the dog could be in his work.
Mykhailo said: 'This is his life, it is all he has known. It is just a matter of chance that we have such a capable dog. He is not a service dog, he is my pet, but he has an amazing nose and is an avid learner. He was meant to be a show dog but his destiny was to save people's lives, not to win prizes.'
From six months, Patron was trained to detect TNT and gunpowder. When he does, he stops rigid and stands with his nose down until Mykhailo and his team approach.
But he can sometimes find his job exhausting. 'Some days he is so tired that he does not eat his evening meal. He comes home, has a drink of water and just crashes out,' says Mykhailo. 'But he always wakes up excited to go again the next day.'
Patron the two-year-old Jack Russell was recently awarded a medal for valour by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and is the star of billboards symbolising his country's defiance of Vladimir Putin .
He is the 'soul and mascot' of the group and helps the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SES) in clearing explosives. Patron was originally bought to appear in pedigree dog shows, but has detected more than 200 deadly Russian landmines and unexploded bombs.
He first found fame when Ukraine's State Emergency Service posted a video online of their mascot working in the war-torn northern city of Chernihiv
He received his medal at the presidential palace in Kyiv with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who was visiting, looking on (pictured)
Zelenskiy made the award at a news conference in Kyiv with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
His owner Mykhailo Iliev is a bomb disposal expert and soon after buying Patron he realised how helpful the dog could be in his work. Mykhailo said: 'This is his life, it is all he has known. It is just a matter of chance that we have such a capable dog. He is not a service dog, he is my pet, but he has an amazing nose and is an avid learner. He was meant to be a show dog but his destiny was to save people's lives, not to win prizes'
From six months, Patron was trained to detect TNT and gunpowder. When he does, he stops rigid and stands with his nose down until Mykhailo and his team approach
But he can sometimes find his job exhausting. 'Some days he is so tired that he does not eat his evening meal. He comes home, has a drink of water and just crashes out,' says Mykhailo. 'But he always wakes up excited to go again the next day.'
Patron poses in his work gear during a quick break on the job in Ukraine
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Patron is seen standing proudly on bombs that he has found so his team are able to dispose of them safely
Patron poses in a miniature version of traditional Ukrainian folk clothing while standing next to a mural on some rocks
Patron looks elated as he plays with a ball while he's off the clock and not having to focus on finding Russian landmines
The adorable Jack Russell snuggles up in a cosy blanket in the colours of the Ukrainian flag during some downtime from his tiring job
Well-trained Patron sits on command while wearing his tiny dog uniform which reads: 'Ukraine DSNS' - The name for the country's State Emergency Service
The lovable dog poses in bed with his paws crossed under a cosy blanket
Patron is held up for his adoring crowd during the celebration of Children's Day in Lviv, Ukraine, on June 1
A man photographs a mural dedicated to Patron on the facade of a local house in Zaporizhzhia, south-eastern Ukraine
A recently painted mural in Vidradnyi park in honour of Jack Russell dog, 'Patron', the landmine finder and mascot of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine on June 07
Journalists take photos of landmine sniffer dog, Patron, after returning from mine clearance work in the village of Yahidne in Chernihiv region, on June 7
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