Across Ukraine, as soldiers bunker down for the cold winter and look to celebrate Christmas however they can, an unlikely comrade is bringing cheer to the troops.
Puck is a fierce Ukrainian ‘warrior’ cat who lives with his owner Oleksandr Lyashuk as they defend their country – but the story of how the unlikely pair met is as heartwarming as the content they share together online.
Before the war broke out in February 2022, Mr Lyashuk lived and worked in the Odessa region and had been a pacifist before Russia invaded Ukraine.
He told Metro.co.uk: ‘I believe that violence, and even more war, is an indicator of backwardness in development.
‘But no one has the right to come, kill people and forcibly tell an independent country how they should live. That’s why I took up arms and am ready to stay true to myself, to my principles, to the people who need and count on us, to my country.’
After taking up arms for Ukraine and serving for eight months, members of his platoon went to a neighboring village to get groceries when they saw two kittens had been abandoned at the store entrance.
They brought back the frail kittens to their position – and Mr Lyashuk and little cat Puck have not been separated since.
Mr Lyashuk told Metro.co.uk: ‘That’s how you can find love. Someone didn’t need it, so they threw Puck on the street, but someone picked him up and found love.
‘Wherever I go, he is always with me. If I know there is danger, I hide him in a safe place and wherever I go near danger, I don’t take him there.’
Shortly after adopting Puck into their platoon, Mr Lyashuk began posting Puck in cute videos on TikTok and Instagram, before going viral.
He’s since gained nearly 250,000 followers and millions of likes, and said of his content: ‘Ukrainians: even in difficult times, we will give you a smile.’
Even though Mr Lyashuk has not been directly at the frontline, he has served in areas with heavy fighting around it – but Puck has provided great stress relief for both Mr Lyashuk and his comrades.
He gushed: ‘I can no longer imagine myself without him – and thanks to him, we have been able to purchase 7 cars for Ukrainian soldiers, a drone, an anti-drone gun, and much more.
‘When I’m on duty, Puck helps to look around – he has excellent hearing and vision. He also catches mice perfectly, he has more than one hundred caught rodents on his record. He is an excellent hunter and friend.’
The bond between the two is clear: videos of them sharing kisses and keeping watch while on guard have gone viral.
And the cat has a penchant for sleeping on his back or in Mr Lyashuk’s coat after a long day of defending his homeland.
Puck even has custom-made uniforms, ranging from blue and yellow Ukrainian flag jumpers to an army harness.
But as Ukraine prepares for a rough winter defending their homeland, Mr Lyashuk told Metro.co.uk it is vital that military assistance continues to help in the fight against Russia.
He said: ‘It won’t be easy, but we will survive, the only question is at what cost we will be able to do it. How much more blood will be shed?’
But no matter how fierce the fight, Puck will stand by his platoon and provide necessary support – whether it be catching rodents or providing much needed stress relief to the soldiers.
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