Russian military expert rejects white whale being “spy whale”

white whaleRolvsøya.White whale.Photo: Jørgen Ree Wiig / Fiskeridirektoratet / NTB scanpix

The white whale that was discovered before the weekend outside the Finnmark coast with harnesses is hardly a “spy whale”. That is what a Russian military expert told the BBC news service.

The whale was observed by fishermen on Thursday and Friday and it was freed from the harness. According to the fishermen, it was very tame and sought contact with people. The discovery of the whale has received international attention.

At the Institute of Marine Research and Norway’s Arctic University in Tromsø (UiT), it is believed that the whale could come from the Russian Navy, which has had a tradition of using animals such as whales in its experiments.

Information provided on the harness confirms that it originates from Russia according to Avisa Nordland newspaper.

But Russian military expert, Viktor Baranets, Colonel in the reserve forces, said to the BBC that it is unlikely to be any form of espionage.

“If we used this whale for espionage, do you really think we would have given it a phone number with a message to call us” he asked laconically.

Baranets was interviewed by Russian television channel, Govorit Moscow, and did not deny that the whale may have escaped the Russian Navy.

© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today

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