Belgian Malinois, named Kuno, worked with special forces in Afghanistan.

The dog helped the British military in every possible way during the operation, and once saved their lives. For this brave act, the hero dog received an award from the government of the country. The award is the equivalent of the Victoria Cross – the highest military award in Great Britain. And it is an award for heroism shown in a combat situation.

The dog was next to a special forces unit in Afghanistan when soldiers were attacked by extremists in 2019. The British military was surrounded and could not advance. Kuno, who is trained to incapacitate enemy soldiers, threw himself through a hail of bullets to knock down the shooter. And this allowed his squad to successfully complete the mission.

Unfortunately, the heroic dog was wounded in the hind legs. His mentor and medics had to assist him in a helicopter as they flew back to base. The dog suffered many injuries, so he was flown to the UK on a Royal Air Force plane for treatment. However, veterinarians managed to save the dog’s life. But they had to amputate his hind leg to prevent the spread of the infection.

After a course of treatment, Kuno became the first military dog ​​in the UK with custom-made prostheses to replace a missing paw and help an injured leg. Kuno, according to British Defense Secretary, changed the direction of the entire expedition and saved the lives of British military. Kuno received the Dickin Medal, the highest honor for animal combat prowess, from the veterinary charity PDSA.