Best Defense
Thomas E. Ricks' daily take on national security.

Rebecca’s War Dog of the Week: Russia trains ‘remote-controlled’ dogs

By Rebecca Frankel Best Defense Chief Canine Correspondent It seems that Prime Minister Vladimir Putin isn’t the only one using dogs to get the upper hand in Russia. And the United States isn’t the only country catching on to the how valuable bomb-sniffing dogs are in the field. After the bombing at Moscow’s Domodedovo airport ...

Alexey SAZONOV/AFP/Getty Images
Alexey SAZONOV/AFP/Getty Images
Alexey SAZONOV/AFP/Getty Images

By Rebecca Frankel
Best Defense Chief Canine Correspondent

By Rebecca Frankel
Best Defense Chief Canine Correspondent

It seems that Prime Minister Vladimir Putin isn’t the only one using dogs to get the upper hand in Russia. And the United States isn’t the only country catching on to the how valuable bomb-sniffing dogs are in the field. After the bombing at Moscow’s Domodedovo airport last January, President Dmitry Medvedev has made a big push to get more sniffer dogs on patrol — and more dogs there will be.

The Russian military is banking on what they’re calling “high-tech” bomb-sniffing dogs — an overstatement perhaps given its rudimentary function. As the BBC reports from a military base outside of Moscow, this elevated technology is really just a remote-controlled dog, consisting of little more than a walkie-talkie and small video camera strapped to the dog’s collar.

The way it works is the soldier calls commands to the dog through the walkie-talkie navigating the dog to the location of the suspected explosives. If the dog alerts — gives the signal that a bomb is at the scene — the handler commands the dog back again, and the bomb is safely detonated. When the dog needs to go into a location at a greater distance or into a building where the handler cannot follow, he watches “a video screen strapped to his wrist” from a safe distance.

The Russian army believes that remote-controlled sniffer dogs will help keep the army and the public safe.

“Dogs can detect the kind of deadly material and explosives that a human being, a robot or a mine detector often struggle to find,” says Colonel Vasily Kondratyuk, head of the 66th Military Engineers Corp, where the army’s sniffer dog centre is based. “With their help we can prevent terrorist attacks. Dogs really are man’s best friend. Because they save lives.”

The standout among the Russian canine ranks is Heinz, a big black Lab with a happy face.

“He’s the most intelligent dog we have here,” says Private Sasha, his handler. “He’s kind, obedient and very clever.”

Thomas E. Ricks covered the U.S. military from 1991 to 2008 for the Wall Street Journal and then the Washington Post. He can be reached at ricksblogcomment@gmail.com. Twitter: @tomricks1

More from Foreign Policy

A photo illustration shows Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Joe Biden posing on pedestals atop the bipolar world order, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Russian President Vladamir Putin standing below on a gridded floor.
A photo illustration shows Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Joe Biden posing on pedestals atop the bipolar world order, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Russian President Vladamir Putin standing below on a gridded floor.

No, the World Is Not Multipolar

The idea of emerging power centers is popular but wrong—and could lead to serious policy mistakes.

A view from the cockpit shows backlit control panels and two pilots inside a KC-130J aerial refueler en route from Williamtown to Darwin as the sun sets on the horizon.
A view from the cockpit shows backlit control panels and two pilots inside a KC-130J aerial refueler en route from Williamtown to Darwin as the sun sets on the horizon.

America Prepares for a Pacific War With China It Doesn’t Want

Embedded with U.S. forces in the Pacific, I saw the dilemmas of deterrence firsthand.

The Chinese flag is raised during the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics at Beijing National Stadium on Feb. 4, 2022.
The Chinese flag is raised during the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics at Beijing National Stadium on Feb. 4, 2022.

America Can’t Stop China’s Rise

And it should stop trying.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky looks on prior a meeting with European Union leaders in Mariinsky Palace, in Kyiv, on June 16, 2022.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky looks on prior a meeting with European Union leaders in Mariinsky Palace, in Kyiv, on June 16, 2022.

The Morality of Ukraine’s War Is Very Murky

The ethical calculations are less clear than you might think.