Russia are sending a German Shepherd puppy to police forces in Paris to honour the police raid dog Diesel after he was killed in action.
France’s National Police said a seven-year-old Belgian shepherd named Diesel was “killed by terrorists” on Wednesday during a raid in Saint-Denis, north of Paris.
Russia’s interior minister has expressed solidarity with France following the Paris attacks. He announced that he will send a puppy to the police force in Paris to replace Diesel. General Vladimir Kolokoltsev said the puppy was named Dobrynya, after a Russian fairy tale knight who “symbolises strength, goodness, valour and unconditional support”.
Diesel was hailed a hero following the attacks, with many taking to social media to pay tribute to the seven-year-old dog. Police shared a picture of the SWAT team member on Twitter, saying assault dogs were indispensable to their work.
Within hours, ‘Je Suis Chien’ – inspired by the popular slogan ‘Je Suis’, used worldwide in solidarity after the Charlie Hebdo attacks earlier this year – had gone viral. Many shared messages praising Diesel’s bravery and loyalty, while some users posted pictures of their own dogs in solidarity.