“Beluga Whale Believed to be Russian-Made Lure Spy Spotted off Coast of Sweden”

A beluga whale that was first spotted four years ago in northern Norway with what are believed to be Russian-made lures has been spotted off the coast of Sweden, Norwegian authorities said on Tuesday.

In 2019, a beluga whale was spotted frolicking in a harbor in the far north of Norway, where it became a source of entertainment for local residents. The whale is used to people and is so friendly that it is even ready to swim after plastic rings that are presented to it.

This beluga was also distinguished from others by the seals that surrounded the animal. There has been much speculation as to its origin, even theorizing that it may have come from a Russian military facility. It was called a spy whale in the media.

“In the last couple of weeks it has moved quickly and swam several hundred kilometers” before reaching the waters off the west coast of Sweden, an official from the Norwegian Fisheries Directorate said. A beluga whale was spotted north of Gothenburg. The Swedish authorities have not yet commented on this.

Last week, a beluga whale was spotted in Oslo Fjord, and the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries asked people to avoid contact with the beluga to guarantee its safety. Whale watchers in Norway have named it Hvaldimir, combining the Norwegian word for whale “hval” with the name of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The directorate warned that Hvaldimir was at risk of injury because an unusually large number of boats had left the fjord to get a closer look at the huge US aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, which was visiting the Norwegian capital for a while. However, an official of the directorate said that so far no news has been received to cause concern about Hvaldimir.

The official said Norwegian authorities do not want to speculate on the origin of the whale, and as long as it is in Norwegian waters, it is considered a protected animal. The official added that the authorities are not going to capture it.