Russian Spy Beluga Whale Spotted in Sweden After Years in Norway

A beluga whale wearing a harness believed to indicate former ties to the Russian military was first spotted off the coast of Norway in 2019 but has now traveled far south to Sweden's waters.
The whale, nicknamed Hvaldimir, spent over three years slowly moving down Norway's coast before speeding up his journey in recent months for unknown reasons that scientists speculate could be due to hormones or a search for social interaction.
There is debate over whether Hvaldimir should be released into the wild or kept in captivity, with advocates concerned about his ability to find food and the threat of boat collisions in busy waters.
Authorities in both Norway and Sweden have taken actions to track, monitor and protect the whale, who seems comfortable around humans.
The reason for the whale's harness, which was removed in 2019, remains unknown, but theories point to potential military training by Russia, where beluga whales inhabit arctic waters.