Best Defense

Thomas E. Ricks' daily take on national security.

Rebecca’s War Dog of the Week: Training war pups in Russia

It's hard to say, or even guess, what kind of training exercise these puppies were in the midst of when this photo was taken but they both look very in tune on their handler.

DMITROV, RUSSIA - JANUARY 30: Training of military cynologists in dogs nursery 'Red Star' in Knyazhevo village about 80 km away from Moscow on January 30, 2015 in Dmitrov, Russia. (Photo by Pyotr Kassin/Kommersant Photo via Getty Images).
DMITROV, RUSSIA - JANUARY 30: Training of military cynologists in dogs nursery 'Red Star' in Knyazhevo village about 80 km away from Moscow on January 30, 2015 in Dmitrov, Russia. (Photo by Pyotr Kassin/Kommersant Photo via Getty Images).
DMITROV, RUSSIA - JANUARY 30: Training of military cynologists in dogs nursery 'Red Star' in Knyazhevo village about 80 km away from Moscow on January 30, 2015 in Dmitrov, Russia. (Photo by Pyotr Kassin/Kommersant Photo via Getty Images).

 

 

By Rebecca Frankel
Best Defense Chief Canine Correspondent

It’s hard to say, or even guess, what kind of training exercise these puppies were in the midst of when this photo was taken but they both look very in tune on their handler.

Russia has one of the more barbaric pasts when it comes to its war dogs. During World War II the Soviet Union used some of its canines as literal suicide bombers, training them to crawl under enemy tanks strapped with explosives. A despicable practice; thankfully, Russia doesn’t employ dogs the way it used to…

We can rest easy, I think, knowing that these pups photographed at “‘Red Star’ dog nursery” in Dmitrov, Russia, in January, will grow up to look like these guys:

Pyotr Kassin/Kommersant Photo via Getty Images

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
Tag: War

More from Foreign Policy

Newspapers in Tehran feature on their front page news about the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, signed in Beijing the previous day, on March, 11 2023.
Newspapers in Tehran feature on their front page news about the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, signed in Beijing the previous day, on March, 11 2023.

Saudi-Iranian Détente Is a Wake-Up Call for America

The peace plan is a big deal—and it’s no accident that China brokered it.

Austin and Gallant stand at podiums side by side next to each others' national flags.
Austin and Gallant stand at podiums side by side next to each others' national flags.

The U.S.-Israel Relationship No Longer Makes Sense

If Israel and its supporters want the country to continue receiving U.S. largesse, they will need to come up with a new narrative.

Russian President Vladimir Putin lays flowers at the Moscow Kremlin Wall in the Alexander Garden during an event marking Defender of the Fatherland Day in Moscow.
Russian President Vladimir Putin lays flowers at the Moscow Kremlin Wall in the Alexander Garden during an event marking Defender of the Fatherland Day in Moscow.

Putin Is Trapped in the Sunk-Cost Fallacy of War

Moscow is grasping for meaning in a meaningless invasion.

An Iranian man holds a newspaper reporting the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, in Tehran on March 11.
An Iranian man holds a newspaper reporting the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, in Tehran on March 11.

How China’s Saudi-Iran Deal Can Serve U.S. Interests

And why there’s less to Beijing’s diplomatic breakthrough than meets the eye.