Five years ago, Norway received an unexpected visitor. Beginning in April 2019, residents on the islands of Ingøya and Rolvsøya reported encountering a seemingly tame and friendly male beluga whale that enjoyed playing fetch,

Five years ago, a friendly white beluga whale approached fisherman in the waters off Norway, and quickly cemented his status as a figure of international intrigue. Hvaldimir, as the whale came to be known,

Now, an expert in the species has spoken out about the mystery surrounding the whale, which was found dead in September. Dr Olga Shpak, who worked in Russia researching marine mammals from the 1990s before returning to her native country,

The tame white whale, which locals named Hvaldimir, made headlines five years ago amidst widespread speculation that it was a Russian spy. Now an expert in the species says she believes the whale did indeed belong to the military and escaped from a naval base in the Arctic Circle.

The Hvaldimir whale - which was spotted off the coast of Norway in 2019 - was originally thought to have been a Russian spy and the claims may have been right.

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.