Ukrainian Troops Turned a Supply Drone Into a Pet Rescue Mission

Good news can be pretty hard to come by these days, particularly with war becoming a popular global pastime. But as we’ve discovered, if you look hard enough, there are still plenty of amazing tales to be told with some pretty amazing people behind them.

Earlier this month, members of Ukraine’s 14th Separate Mechanized Brigade, named after Prince Roman the Great, turned a routine supply run into a daring nighttime rescue mission. The unit was using drones to send food to a detachment located in a remote area. What made this particular delivery unique was that, upon their return, the drones were carrying cargo of a very different variety: one adorably scruffy terrier and a very handsome grey & white tuxedo cat. The cat was being cared for by a soldier who had been injured and transported to the hospital, and his comrades wanted to surprise him by retrieving his feline friend. However, a small dog had also appeared on the scene, and the soldiers couldn’t bear to leave him behind. And so, with the use of a makeshift pet carrier and some very careful flying, the two were flown 7.5 miles to safety.

In a video shared by the Kyiv based charity, UAnimals and United24, the official Ukrainian fundraising platform launched by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to collect charitable donations from across the globe, you can hear the joy in the soldier’s voices as they greet the animals on their safe return, with one asking the cat how he was feeling after such an unusual journey, commenting that he himself had never flown by drone before! The soldiers are clearly thrilled to see how happy and relaxed the pair appear, making fast friends with the waggy-tailed terrier and delighting in the loud purring from the cat as it enjoys some affectionate head rubs and chin tickles. The video ends with a plan to find some good food, and leaves you feeling just a little bit happier about the state of the world.

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