Beluga whale allegedly a Russian spy – found dead

Norwegian public broadcaster NRK reported that the whale carcass was found floating in Risavika Bay in southern Norway on Saturday by a father and son while fishing.

The beluga, whose name is a combination of the Norwegian word for whale – “hval” – and Russian President Putin's first name, Vladimir, was lifted out of the water by crane and taken to a nearby port where it will be examined by experts.

Marine biologist Sebastian Strand told NRK: “Unfortunately, we found Hvaldimir floating in the sea. He died, but the cause of death is not yet clear.” He added that no major external injuries were visible on the animal.

Mr Strand, who has been following Hvaldimir's adventures for the past three years on behalf of the Norway-based non-profit organisation Marine Mind, said the whale's sudden death had left him deeply shocked.

“It's absolutely horrific,” Mr Strand said. “He appeared to be in good condition (Friday). We just need to find out what might have happened here.”

The 14-foot-long whale was first spotted by fishermen near the northern island of Ingoya, not far from the Arctic town of Hammerfest, in April 2019. It was wearing a harness and what appeared to be a mount for a small camera, as well as a buckle that read: “Equipment Saint Petersburg.”

This sparked accusations that the beluga was a “spy whale”. According to experts, the Russian Navy is known to train whales for military purposes.

Over the years, the beluga was spotted in several Norwegian coastal towns and it quickly became clear that it was very tame and enjoyed playing with people, NRK said.

Marine Mind stated on its website that Hvaldimir has a great interest in people and responds to hand signals.

“Based on these observations, it appeared that Hvaldimir had arrived in Norway from Russian waters, where he was presumably held captive,” it said.

There has been speculation in the Norwegian media as to whether Hvaldimir may have been used in Russia as a kind of “therapy whale.”