The greatest things can be achieved by the smallest ones.

The terrifying thing about war is the use of weapons with damages so indiscriminate that civilian lives are put in danger.

In the midst of this growing danger, the men and women of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine go into the most perilous areas to save lives and dispose of explosives.

One of their most heroic companions, however, is not human.

Patron, a 2-year-old military dog, became a rallying mascot for the various branches of the emergency services.

However, being cute is not Patron’s only contribution to the war effort. He’s also been credited for finding 90 explosives so far. This heroic work doesn’t only raise morale but keeps civilian areas safe and secure.

The nation expressed its immense gratitude to Patron.

“News from Patron! Our militant dog – the mascot of Chernihiv pyrotechnicians continues to serve!” said the caption from the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, as quoted by Newsweek. “Since the beginning of the war, he and SES sappers have cleared almost 90 explosive devices. Thank you, friend, for your tireless work!”

Patron’s heroism also exposed the brutal realities of war. The International Criminal Court will look into the possible war crimes of Russia’s military for their alleged use of cluster bombs and thermos baric weapons – all of which can cause harm to civilians.

Videos showed Patron in action.

Much like his human counterparts, Patron starts the day off early. He traverses and treks through paths, looking for dangerous misfired bombs or mines that are otherwise unnoticed by civilians.

His work is not easy. Every search means walking close to explosives and sometimes digging them from the ground.

Patron does his work so well that he regularly earns treats at the end of the day. His squad from the Ukrainian Chernihiv bomb-disposal squad says that Patron’s favorite treat is fresh cheese.

Dogs have become a vital part of warfare because of their skills.

Their keen sense of smell helps them save the lives not only of the soldiers with them but of civilians as well. They are used to search for explosives, drugs, and even missing persons.

“There’s no substitute for the detection of a dog. There’s no machine built yet that can reciprocate what a dog can do,” William Cronin said in an article for the U.S. Army. He is the director of the American K-9 for Afghanistan and Mali, West Africa,

“When you go into your grandmother’s kitchen, you smell stew,” he said as he pointed out the differences between human senses to dog senses. “The dog goes in your grandmother’s kitchen, he smells carrots, pepper, tomatoes, and lettuce.”

Support also poured in from commenters.

In a video posted by The Sun about the hero dog, people wished Patron and his handers.

“Even the cute little dogs in Ukraine are doing their part, so amazing to see a community come together in times of crisis.” one comment said.

“So cute little dog. Intelligent and brave. Pray for this little Jack Russell to be safe 24/7.” Another one said.

While his skills are invaluable, we hope that he can go out to play soon without having to look for danger.

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Source: YouTube – The Sun, Facebook – ДСНС України, Newsweek, Yahoo! Finance, US Army