Hvaldimir: Russian ‘spy’ whale found dead in Norway
A beluga whale suspected of being trained as a Russian spy has been found dead.
The animal – who was known as Hvaldimir – was found floating at the Risavika Bay in southern Norway on Saturday by a father and son who were fishing, Norwegian public broadcaster NRK reported.
Marine biologist Sebastian Strand, who has monitored the whale for the past three years, said it is unclear what Hvladimir died of, adding no major external injuries were visible.
“It’s absolutely horrible,” Mr Strand said. “He was apparently in good condition [as of Friday]. So we just have to figure out what might have happened here.”
Regina Crosby Haug from One Whale, an organisation that campaigned to protect Hvaldimir, added he was a “healthy young whale with no signs of illness”.
Hvaldimir was said to be very tame and liked human interaction. Pic: AP
“I really hope that this is not human-related,” she added.
Hvaldimir was first spotted near the Norwegian island of Ingoya in April 2019. He was wearing a harness and what appeared to be a mount for a small camera.
One of the buckles had “equipment St Petersburg” written on it.
He was given the name Hvaldimir combining the Norwegian word for whale – hval – and Russian President Putin’s first name Vladimir.
His discovery sparked allegations that the animal was “a spy whale”, trained by the Russian navy for military purposes – something experts said is known to have happened.
Norway-based charity Marine Mind said it is believed the whale entered Norway by crossing over from Russian waters, where it is presumed he was held in captivity.
There is also speculation that he could have been used as “a therapy whale” in Russia.
‘Special to so many’
Over the years, Hvaldimir was seen in several Norwegian coastal towns and it quickly became clear that he was very tame and enjoyed playing with people, NRK said.
This made him somewhat of a celebrity in the local area.
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“Hvaldimir was not just a beluga whale; he was a beacon of hope, a symbol of connection, and a reminder of the deep bond between humans and the natural world,” Marine Mind said in a statement after Hvaldimir’s death.
“Over the past five years, he touched the lives of tens of thousands, bringing people together in awe of the wonders of nature.
“He was special to so many, leaving an indelible mark on all who had the privilege to encounter him. His legacy will continue to inspire our work and our mission to protect the ocean and its inhabitants.”
“Super high-IQ revolutionaries” who are willing to work 80+ hours a week are being urged to join Elon Musk’s new cost-cutting department in Donald Trump’s incoming US government.
The X and Tesla owner will co-lead the Department Of Government Efficiency (DOGE) with former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.
And in a post on X, the official DOGE account put out a call to arms for people to sign up and help “dismantle government bureaucracy”.
The post said: “We are very grateful to the thousands of Americans who have expressed interest in helping us at DOGE.
“We don’t need more part-time idea generators.
“We need super high-IQ small-government revolutionaries willing to work 80+ hours per week on unglamorous cost-cutting.
“If that’s you, DM this account with your CV. Elon & Vivek will review the top 1% of applicants.”
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Elon Musk speaking at an event held at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. Pic: AP Photo/Alex Brandon
In a reply to an interested party, Mr Musk suggested the lucky applicants would be working for free.
“Indeed, this will be tedious work, make lost of enemies & compensation is zero,” the world’s richest man wrote.
“What a great deal!”
When announcing the new department, President-elect Donald Trump said Mr Musk and Mr Ramaswamy “will pave the way for my administration to dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure federal agencies”.
Mr Musk has previously made clear his desire to see cuts to “government waste” and in a post on his X platform suggested he could axe as many as three-quarters of the more than 400 federal departments in the US, writing: “99 is enough.”
At least 10 people have been killed after a fire broke out at a retirement home in northern Spain in the early hours of this morning, officials have said.
A further two people were seriously injured in the blaze at the residence in the town of Villafranca de Ebro in Zaragoza, according to the Spanish news website Diario Sur.
Two people remain in a critical condition following the blaze. Pic: AP
They remain in a critical condition, while several others received treatment for smoke inhalation.
Firefighters were alerted to the blaze at the residence – the Jardines de Villafranca – at 5am (4am UK time) on Friday.
Several residents were treated for smoke inhalation. Pic: AP
Those who were killed in the fire died from smoke inhalation, Spanish newspaper Heraldo reported.
The residence is home to 82 elderly residents.
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The blaze started in one of the rooms, Fernando Beltran, the national government’s top official in the region, told reporters.
All of the victims were elderly residents, he added.
Relatives wait for news outside the care home. Pic: AP
Fire crews, paramedics and police officers remain on site, said a spokesperson for the regional government of Aragon who confirmed the fatalities.
It took firefighters several hours to extinguish the blaze, they said.
The cause of the fire is unknown and is being investigated.
At least 10 people have been killed after a fire broke out at a retirement home in northern Spain in the early hours of this morning, officials have said.
A further two people were seriously injured in the blaze at the residence in the town of Villafranca de Ebro in Zaragoza, according to the Spanish news website Diario Sur.
Two people remain in a critical condition following the blaze. Pic: AP
They remain in a critical condition, while several others received treatment for smoke inhalation.
Firefighters were alerted to the blaze at the residence – the Jardines de Villafranca – at 5am (4am UK time) on Friday.
Several residents were treated for smoke inhalation. Pic: AP
Those who were killed in the fire died from smoke inhalation, Spanish newspaper Heraldo reported.
The residence is home to 82 elderly residents.
Read more from Sky News:
Mass displacement in Gaza – people unsure where to go
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The blaze started in one of the rooms, Fernando Beltran, the national government’s top official in the region, told reporters.
All of the victims were elderly residents, he added.
Relatives wait for news outside the care home. Pic: AP
Fire crews, paramedics and police officers remain on site, said a spokesperson for the regional government of Aragon who confirmed the fatalities.
It took firefighters several hours to extinguish the blaze, they said.
The cause of the fire is unknown and is being investigated.
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