As it happened, soldiers from the Ukraine army, near whom the accident occurred, saw it all happen, and saved Shryk and brought the bird to Zaporizhzhia. From there, Shryk travelled about 85 kilometres to Dnipro, where specialists are getting ready to attempt surgery in order to save its wing.

Widespread Support for 'Battle Bird'
Shryk's story has been shared by animal welfare volunteer Veronika Konkova, who wrote: "Meet Shryk. "This fearless bird of prey decided that Russian drones had no business being on our territory [and his]", so he took it upon himself to do something about it; attacking a Russian drone."

The Ukrainian drone operators on the front line responded fast and managed to rescue Shryk and transfer him to safety for medical treatment, Konkova said.

The injured bird was quickly embraced by social media users. The effort was one of many undertaken to aid firefighters around the country, and one fan wrote: "A big thank you to him! Dad love him so very much and hopes for a recovery. Hang in there, Shryk!" Others offered words of thanks and praise, hailing him as a figure of bravery.

On the Road to Recovery
Shryk is also recovering well and is currently being monitored before undergoing his wing surgery. The Ukrainian military has also agreed to pay for all of the treatment, emphasising the bird's new role as a symbol of resilience and unification.

As for what lies ahead for Shryk, his future is unclear, but his story has deeply moved many Ukrainians and has come to symbolise the spirit of resistance, no matter how tiny the defender.