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Russian army marine mammal projects attracted the world’s attention when domesticated beluga arrived in Norway in April 2019. The whale, nicknamed Hvaldimir, is said to have escaped from a Russian military education program. There’s another deployment of marine mammals that haven’t heard of. And this time in a war zone.
Evidence has now emerged that the Russian army has sent trained dolphins to its war in Syria, deploying them to tartus naval base in late 2018.
I came across marine mammal enclosures in the water while searching for satellite photographs of Tartus. This is the port where Russia bases its submarines deployed for war in Syria. Having seen similar precincts at Russian Navy bases in the Black Sea and the Arctic, it is transparent in what it is about. The deployment is visual in old satellite photographs, as a sufficient amount of Google Earth, at 3four -fivefour’3five.16″N, 3five – five1’four6.four6″ E. I’ll give you the coordinates of either location. .
Dolphins would probably be used to counter enemy divers who could take a look and sabotage the gas station at the port. Marine mammals used to recover property from the seabed or perform intelligence missions.
Dolphins in Syria probably come from a unit founded near Sebastopol, Crimea, in the Black Sea. This base is at four -3-four’53.12″N, 33 – 2four’8.36″ E. It is imaginable that the mammals in question are seals rather than dolphins, but I think dolphins are more susceptible. However, the feathers appear smaller than some of the others used, suggesting their transient nature.
The Russian Navy’s other active marine mammal program is located in the Arctic. Beluga whales and seals are trained there. Hvaldimir the whale arrived in circular Norway when the Russian Navy moved whale pens to the Olenya Guba submarine base (6 nine -13’12.41″N, 33 – 23’4.72″ E). This is where Russian spy submarines are located, adding to the unfortunate Losharik who was the victim of an incident in July last year.
Beluga whales are larger and mocan up to dolphins, but appear to be more suitable for Arctic conditions. Agile seals are used in counter-diving operations, as dolphins are likely to be the highest. Another base, very applicable with that of Olenya Guba, is at 6nine – 10’2.1five “N, 33 – 28’3nine.77” E. And there is a livestock farm installed in 2017 at 68 – 4nine’8.five3 “N , 32 – 4five’16.five3 “E, and some in 68 ‘4nine’five2.21” N, 32 – 48’20.nine4 “E.
We may never know exactly what the Russian army was doing with the dolphins in Syria. They were only there for more than a month, from September to December 2018, so it could be a test. Or maybe it didn’t end well. But there is evidence that marine mammal systems are slowing down. And the Hvaldimir incident in Norway occurred after the Syrian deployment, indicating that everything that happened in Syria did not deter the Russian military from bringing its marine mammals closer to the operational units.
Use OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) for stories first. Author of several books on Narco submarines, special forces and submarines. I write essentigreatest friend about submarines
Use OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) for stories first. Author of several books on Narco submarines, special forces and submarines. I write a great friend about the world’s top submarines and secret marines.