"Our sister-in-arms with whiskers": the cat who became part of a National Guard unit – photos
Servicemen from Ukraine's National Guard have been talking about their morale-boosting cat Kotusko, who used to carry out "strategic tasks" near their positions.
Military unit 3055 of the National Guard told the kitty's story.
Some of the soldiers noticed a small pussycat wandering around their positions and brought her to their dugout. There, she was fed and given the nickname Kotusko.
The "sister-in-arms with whiskers" soon showed her gratitude to the Guards for saving her life.
"The cat set to work on a strategic task – mopping up the dugouts from an invasion of mice and rats," says a soldier with the nom de guerre Sova (Owl).
Kotusko would also sense the soldiers’ emotional state and recharge them with optimism and tranquillity when the fighters needed it.
"Sometimes you’d go on a mission for a day or a few days, but you knew you'd be back and the cat would be waiting for you. It felt like home. It made me feel calmer," Sova added.
"Even in the most terrible situations, our cat maintained a positive attitude. Despite the incessant shelling and loud explosions, she remained calm."
When the National Guardsmen returned from Ukraine's east, Kotusko went with them. Now she lives with Sova's family.
The soldiers told Ukrainska Pravda. Life that Kotusko found her new house confusing at first, attempting to escape to the National Guardsmens' car as soon as she was let off the leash. But eventually she got used to Sova's home.
Kotusko is very attached to Sova, so she will most likely return to service in Rivne Oblast with her owner after their leave is over.
The military unit said their soldiers frequently share their dugouts with cats.
"And once some locals in Donetsk Oblast gave the National Guardsmen a puppy in exchange for helping them with animal rescue. It still lives with the troops," unit 3055 reports.
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