Heroic Ukrainian sniffer dog Patron became the face of the explosion protection campaign (Photo: Twitter)

A heroic sniffer dog who detected more than 200 explosives is the face of a new bomb safety campaign in Ukraine.

The patron, a two-and-a-half-year-old Jack Russell, became famous earlier this year after President Zelenskiy awarded him a medal for his bomb-sniffing skills.

Since then, Patron, whose name in Ukrainian translates as “cartridges” or “cartridge”, has become a national symbol of resistance against Russia.

“One day Patron’s story will be made into a movie, but for now he is dutifully fulfilling his professional duties.” tweeted Center of strategic communications of Ukraine.

His latest appearance came as part of a new campaign to raise awareness about landmines and other Russian improvised explosive devices.

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Deputy Jack Russell helped Ukrainian troops by sniffing out explosives. https://twitter.com/PatronDsns https://www.instagram.com/patron_dsns/
Patron Jack Russell helped Ukrainian forces sniff out explosives on the battlefield and was awarded the President Zelensky medal for his hard work (Photo: Twitter)

Patron's exploits have appeared in numerous videos on Ukrainian social media and he has become the face of a new public safety campaign (Photo: Getty)
Patron’s exploits have appeared in numerous videos on Ukrainian social media and he has become the face of a new public safety campaign (Photo: Getty)

“A cartridge warning… if you see a suspicious object, do not touch it!” reads the poster, referring to Patron’s nickname.

Zelensky presented Patron and its owner Mikhail Iliev with the awards at a press conference in May along with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

As Patron was presented with the award, Trudeau, who made a surprise visit to the war-torn country that weekend, jokingly patted his pockets while pretending to look for dog treats.

“Today I want to reward those Ukrainian heroes who are already demining our land,” said Zelensky after the ceremony.

“And together with our heroes, there is a wonderful little sapper – Mecenat, who helps not only to defuse explosives, but also to teach our children the necessary safety rules in places where there is a mine threat.”


The heroic explosive dog became the face of the Ukrainian security company
Patron has become a beloved figure in Ukraine and is seen as a symbol of national resistance against Russia (Image: Twitter)

KYIV, UKRAINE - JUNE 7: A newly painted mural in a park
The dog has been immortalized in artwork and tributes across the country and has won thousands of fans around the world (Image: Twitter)

The brave pooch has won the hearts and minds of people in Ukraine and beyond, with his Instagram page amassing more than 330,000 followers, and fans often paying tribute to him with artwork that is both tongue-in-cheek and heartfelt.

“Our brave patron child has inspired an incredible number of talented artists,” Ukrainian emergency services said in a Facebook post earlier this year.

“This motivates us not to give up, no matter how difficult it may be, to keep the bar high and fight with new forces, knowing how many people are still waiting for help and how many people believe in us,” the State Emergency Service noted.

“Our patron also does not put his feet down and sends thanks to everyone.”

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Heroic bomb-sniffing dog becomes face of Ukrainian safety campaign

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