Codename Andryukha. The mystery of the Russian whale accused of espionage has finally been unveiled (photo).

The hand-trained white whale, later named Hvaldimir, made headlines five years ago after appearing off the coast of Norway in a harness. The sighting of the beluga sparked numerous theories suggesting that the whale was a Russian spy. Now, experts have finally provided clarity on this story, reports BBC.

After five years, experts have confirmed that the whale indeed belonged to the military and escaped from a naval base above the Arctic Circle. However, according to Dr. Olga Shpak, the whale was likely not a spy — scientists believe the beluga was trained to guard the base. Experts also think that the whale was actually a "troublemaker," which is why it left the base.

It is noteworthy that representatives from Russia have consistently refused to confirm or deny that Hvaldimir was trained by the military. At the same time, Dr. Shpak, who has studied marine mammals since the 1990s, including in Russia, asserts with 100% certainty that the beluga escaped from a naval base.

Hvaldimir first appeared off the coast of Norway five years ago, spotted near the northern shores as it approached fishermen. According to one fisherman, Joar Hesten, they noticed the beluga when the animal began rubbing against their boat. The fishermen recalled that some animals tend to approach humans when they need help — likely indicating that this was a very intelligent whale.

Nevertheless, the whale's behavior seemed unusual — it was too friendly, which is rarely seen so far south. The beluga was also observed wearing a harness with a camera mount and an English inscription reading "Equipment St. Petersburg." The fishermen helped remove the harness from the whale, after which Hvaldimir headed to a nearby port, where it lived for several months. Researchers note that the whale was likely unable to hunt and catch live fish, but it excelled at charming the local residents.

The Norwegian authorities took measures to monitor the beluga and provided it with food. The beluga was also given the name Hvaldimir, which is a nod to the Norwegian word for "whale" and the name of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

According to Dr. Shpak, her sources in Russia refused to disclose their names for safety reasons but confirmed that after the appearance of the beluga in Norway, the Russian marine mammal community immediately identified it as one of their own. The sources also mentioned that at the Russian naval base, the whale was called Andryukha.

The expert notes that the whale was first captured in the Sea of Okhotsk in the Russian Far East in 2013. A year later, it was transferred from a facility belonging to a dolphinarium in St. Petersburg and included in a military program in the Russian Arctic.

Dr. Shpak explains that according to employees of the commercial dolphinarium where the whale previously lived, Andryukha was incredibly intelligent, making him well-suited for training. At the same time, he was a troublemaker, so no one was surprised that he eventually escaped.

Satellite images near the Russian naval base in Murmansk show what could be the former home of Hvaldimir/Andryukha. In the water, enclosures that appear to contain belugas are clearly visible. Experts state that the proximity of the belugas to the boats may actually indicate that they were part of a security system.

Russia, for its part, has never officially confirmed or denied claims that Hvaldimir/Andryukha was trained at their naval base. However, the world is well aware of the country’s long history of training marine mammals for military purposes.

Unfortunately, the story of Hvaldimir/Andryukha does not have a happy ending. The whale learned to find food on its own and traveled south along the coast of Norway for several years, and in May 2023, it was spotted off the coast of Sweden. But in September 2024, its body was discovered in the sea off the southwestern coast of Norway.

Some activists speculated that the whale may have been shot or pursued by Russian military forces; however, data from the Norwegian police found no evidence suggesting human involvement in the beluga's death. An autopsy revealed that Hvaldimir/Andryukha died after a stick became lodged in its mouth.