Russian 'spy whale' mystery 'solved' as expert brands it 'hooligan'

The beluga whale first approached Norwegian fishermen in 2019 (Image: Norwegian Orca Survey)

The peculiar tale of a beluga whale believed to have been a Russian "spy" appears to have been solved.

A marine mammal expert suggests the animal was likely trained to guard a Russian naval base, only to escape due to a mischievous personality.

The whale, nicknamed Hvaldimir by locals, first gained international attention five years ago when it surfaced off Norway’s northern coast wearing a harness that read “Equipment St. Petersburg.”

The harness led to speculation that the whale was trained by the Russian military for espionage, a claim the country has never confirmed or denied.

Now, marine biologist Dr Olga Shpak, who has spent years researching belugas in Russia, believes the whale, whose original name was reportedly Andruha, was indeed involved in a Russian military programme, but not as a spy.

Andruha was known to be highly intelligent but a bit of a 'hooligan' (Image: Getty)

Instead, Dr Shpak says Andruha was likely trained to guard the naval base in Murmansk, in the Arctic Circle.

According to Shpak, Andruha’s trainers had deemed it “highly intelligent” and perfect for training, but also “a bit of a hooligan.”

She believes it took advantage of an opportunity to escape, following its adventurous instincts rather than its training.

Andruha's journey began in 2013, when it was captured in Russia’s Far East and brought to a dolphinarium before being transferred to the Russian Arctic for military use.

When it first appeared off Norway’s coast in 2019, he approached fishermen and exhibited signs of being accustomed to human contact, such as rubbing against boats and even retrieving objects for visitors at the port of Hammerfest, where he stayed for several months.

Norwegian researchers observed that the whale had likely been trained to target objects with his nose, a common training practice.

As Andruha continued its journey south along Norway’s coast, its fame grew, and locals and tourists alike were captivated by its friendly behaviour.

Norway’s government arranged for the whale’s monitoring and support, but Andruha eventually began to learn to feed himself, even though his reliance on human interaction had originally left him struggling to catch live fish.

Norwegian marine mammal experts and activists had high hopes that Andruha would adapt to life in the wild, but tragically, its life came to an end in September 2024.

The beluga’s body was discovered floating off Norway’s southwestern coast near Risavika.

Despite Russia’s refusal to confirm any details about Andruha's background, Russia has a long history of military marine mammal training, especially with belugas, seals, and dolphins.

In 2019, Russian reserve colonel Viktor Baranets dismissed rumors of Andruha's involvement in spying.

He said: “If we were using this animal for spying, do you really think we’d attach a mobile phone number with the message ‘Please call this number’?”