Russia has presented France with a puppy to replace the police dog killed in a recent anti-terror raid in Paris as a gesture of "solidarity" as it seeks to further consolidate ties with the country.
The German Shepherd puppy called Dobrynya will replace seven year-old Diesel who died during a raid on an apartment in the Saint-
Denis neighborhood in the north of Paris. Police were hunting suspects involved in the Paris terrorist attacks in which 130 people died.
The puppy was given to the French ambassador by the Russian interior ministry on Monday and will be trained to be a part of France's police dog team, transforming him from a cute ball of fluff into a formidable part of the force.
The name Dobrynya also has special significance; the puppy is named after a hero in Russian folklore, according to interior ministry spokesperson Elena Alekseyeva.
When the gift was initially announced back in late November, she said the puppy was "named after a Russian knight, Dobrynya, a symbol of strength, kindness, valor and selfless help. The puppy will be sent to France as a sign of solidarity with the French people and police fighting against terrorism," Alekseyeva said on her Instagram page.
The gift is a further sign of cordial relations between Russia and France. Both countries are allies as part of a Western alliance fighting militant group Islamic State (IS) in Syria and Iraq with airstrikes.
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On receiving the puppy, French Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert said "the puppy you are giving us today will replace Diesel and proves your friendship. Paris is waiting for him," according to TASS news agency.
Russia's military tactics have drawn criticism from the U.S. because it has appeared to target rebel groups fighting Syrian President Bashar Assad – a Russian ally – perhaps more than IS targets.
"The terror attacks in Paris shocked the whole world," Russian Deputy Interior Minister Igor Zubov said on Monday, TASS reported. He said the Russian gift was widely seen "as the symbol of the unity of our nations in (the) implacable fight against terrorism."
"I do not think it is a gift. I would rather say we are sending our employee to serve in the French Ministry of the Interior," he added, according to Russia Today.
Paris was also shown some love by rock bank U2 on Monday. Performing in Paris on Monday, the band invited U.S. rock band Eagles of Death Metal – the band performing at the Bataclan theater where 90 people were killed during the Paris attacks -- onto the stage to perform with them.
"They were robbed of their stage three weeks ago and we would like to offer them ours tonight," U2 lead singer Bono said, according to media reports.
- By CNBC's Holly Ellyatt, follow her on Twitter @HollyEllyatt. Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook.