Alleged “Russian spy” Beluga may have been shot

The world's craziest spy saga reached its tragic climax over the weekend when a whale long thought to be a Russian spy was found dead in Norway. Now relatives of the whale claim that the unfortunate sea creature may have been murdered.

The body of beluga whale Hvaldimir was found floating off the Norwegian port town of Risavika on Saturday. An animal welfare organization called OneWhale is demanding justice for the deceased sea creature. OneWhale was originally founded with only the goal of protecting Hvaldimir, and the organization seems to believe that his death was no accident. In fact, OneWhale has claimed that Hvaldimir was “murdered” and has even teamed up with NOAH, Norway's largest animal welfare organization, to file a complaint against him with Norway's National Authority for the Investigation and Prosecution of Economic and Environmental Crimes.

In a press release obtained by Gizmodo, OneWhale stated that there was “compelling evidence” that “Hvaldimir's death was caused by an intentional human-inflicted injury.”

“Although the official autopsy report is still pending, preliminary findings indicate that the whale was killed by gunshot wounds,” the press release said. “Several veterinarians, biologists and ballistics experts have reviewed photographic evidence, including close-ups of Hvaldimir's injuries. Their assessments suggest that the whale's death was the result of a criminal act, requiring immediate police intervention.”

Key members of OneWhale have made their theories about the crime even clearer. “I have been with Hvaldimir for five years and know him very well,” said Regina Haug, founder of OneWhale, in a statement. “When I saw his body and the numerous injuries, I knew immediately that he had been killed by gunshots. I even saw a bullet lodged in his body.”

“There is no doubt that this kind, gentle animal was senselessly murdered,” Haug said. “We will fight for justice for Hvaldimir and hope that someone comes forward with information about his killing.”

“The whale's injuries are alarming and of a nature that cannot rule out a criminal act – it is shocking,” said Siri Martinsen, veterinarian and head of NOAH. “Given the suspicion of a criminal act, it is vital that the police are involved quickly. Hvaldimir was important to many and all the facts surrounding his death must be brought to light.”

Hvaldimir was first spotted by Norwegian fishermen in 2019. Upon closer inspection, onlookers noticed that the whale was wearing a tightly wrapped harness with the inscription “Equipment St. Petersburg” (it seems that when he Was a spy, but not exactly a deep cover agent). He soon became a minor celebrity and was known for his friendly and engaging demeanor. Some speculated that he may have worked for Russian intelligence, which is known for using aquatic animals for various purposes.

While governments have used animals as spies in the past, they don't always make particularly good spies. Russia has never admitted that Hvaldimir was part of its underwater reconnaissance team. While it seems downright ridiculous that the Kremlin would be so interested in murdering the poor blowhole-equipped mammal, marine animals are obviously subjected to all sorts of abuse at the hands of humans, so the idea that Hvaldimir was deliberately killed doesn't seem far-fetched.