The puppy who will grow to be France's next Diesel

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Diesel killed during raid on apartment where Paris mastermind was hiding
Belgian shepherd was sent in to sniff out booby traps but died in blast
Tale seems to have touched Vladimir Putin, who sent puppy to Paris
Dobrynia will be trained up to join the same team as her predecessor
See more news on Russia's solidarity with France

Published: 13:17 EST, 20 November 2015 | Updated: 20:48 EST, 20 November 2015

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Russia has shown its solidarity with the people of France in an unusual way - by donating a new puppy to carry on the memory of Diesel, the police dog killed by a suicide bomber on Wednesday.

The little puppy, called Dobrynia, has been sent to Paris by the Russian government to help 'in the fight against terrorism'.

It will be trained up to continue to vital work that Diesel, a seven-year-old Belgian shepherd, was doing before she was killed in the raid on the apartment block in Saint-Denis, where Paris massacre mastermind Abdelhamid Abaaoud was hiding out.

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Solidarity: Russia has sent puppy Dobrynia to the French police after they lost dog Diesel in the raid on the Parisian apartment block where Abdelhamid Abaaoud was hiding out following Friday's attacks

Diesel, a seven-year-old Belgian shepherd, was a member of the SWAT team in charge of the raid. She was blown up by the suicide bomber who also killed Hasna Ait Boulahcen

Diesel, a member of the SWAT team, was sent into the building to sniff out booby traps ahead of her human colleagues - and was caught up in the explosion after the first suicide bomber blew themselves up.

A source told MailOnline: 'When the policemen arrived with the dog, the dog came in first and was immediately killed. The French people are sad about her death.'

The force said that 'assault and explosives' search dogs are indispensable to the work of the French anti-terror unit known as RAID.

Diesel's death at the hands of the terrorist sparked an outpouring of sympathy from around the world - and it seems even Vladimir Putin was touched by the tale.

He ordered the tiny puppy to be sent to France, to eventually join the team of officers who had so cherished Diesel.

And for extra luck, the puppy has been given the name of one of Russia's most legendary heroes - a man who personified 'strength, love, courage and self-sacrifice'.

Diesel (centre) is seen being led towards the flat to sniff out booby traps minutes before she was killed

Many shared messages praising Diesel's loyalty, while some posted pictures of their own dogs in solidarity

Dobrynya was Vladimir the Great's maternal uncle and tutor, later transformed in Russian folklore into the invincible bogatyr (hero-knight) Dobrynya Nikitich.

The Russian Interior Ministry, which shared pictures of Dobrynia on the social network site, has written to France explaining the gift.

In the letter, Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev said: 'I ask you to accept from Russian's police dog handlers this shepherd puppy, who will be able to take his place in the ranks of Diesel, your dog who died doing his duty.'