"Russian spy" whale Hvaldimir found dead in Norway

BBC Ukraine reported the information.

The outlet reports that the body of the whale, which showed no external injuries, was removed from the water and taken for forensic examination. The whale was estimated to be 15 years old, which is considered relatively young for its species, as these whales typically live for 35 to 50 years.

The whale, known as Hvaldimir, was first spotted in April 2019 near Hammerfest in northern Norway. It became entangled in nets and was freed by a fisherman who noticed a belt with the inscription Equipment St. Petersburg and monitoring devices on the animal.

The zoologists assumed that the whale was being trained for espionage at one of the Russian military bases and could have escaped or been released “on a mission.”

Since Hvaldimir easily made contact with people, asked for food and returned to the boats, it was assumed that the animal was trained.

For three years, the whale swam off the Norwegian coast, becoming a local celebrity. It was often mentioned in the media and had a dedicated Wikipedia article.

The Norwegians named the whale Hvaldimir, a combination of the words “whale” (Hval) and “Vladimir,” with an obvious reference to the Russian president's name due to speculation about espionage.

The environmental organization OneWhale has been tracking Hvaldimir, regularly publishing information about his whereabouts.

The whale was last seen alive on July 22.

For reference: The Soviet Union began training marine mammals for military purposes in the 1970s. An experimental base was set up in Sevastopol, and since 1975, a marine mammal combat unit has been guarding the Sevastopol Bay.

Hvaldimir’s death is alarming and confirms the possibility of using marine animals for espionage.

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