Risavika, September 03- A mysterious beluga whale, once suspected to be a spy for Russian President Vladimir Putin, has been found dead off the coast of southwestern Norway. The whale, nicknamed "Valdimir" after Vladimir Putin, has been the subject of speculation since it was first spotted in Norwegian waters five years ago. 

The whale, known for its friendly behaviour and unusual proximity to humans, became an object of intrigue when it was discovered with a GoPro camera harness inscribed with "St. Petersburg Instrument." This raised suspicions that it could be part of a Russian military program, given Russia's historical use of marine mammals, including dolphins, for military purposes.

Valdimir was found by Marine Mind, a research organization that had been tracking the movements of whales in the area for years. The whale's body was discovered floating near the town of Risavika and was subsequently taken to a nearby port for examination. According to Marine Mind founder Sebastian Strand, the cause of death is currently unknown as there were no visible signs of injury. The whale's carcass has been preserved in a cold storage facility for further testing.

The beluga whale, estimated to be about 15 years old, was relatively young, considering that belugas can live up to 60 years. The sudden death of Valdimir has sparked renewed curiosity and concern among researchers and the public.

The whale first gained international attention in April 2019, when it was seen by Norwegian boats near the island of Ingoa, about 415 km from Murmansk, the location of Russia's Northern Fleet. The unusual appearance of a beluga in these waters, where they are not commonly found, led Norway's intelligence agency to launch an investigation. The agency suspected that the Russian military might have trained the whale as part of a covert operation, despite Moscow's previous denial of operating any marine mammal spy program.

While the idea of Valdimir being a spy has never been confirmed, and Russia has remained silent on the matter, the incident has fuelled numerous conspiracy theories and captured the imagination of people around the world.

As the investigation into the whale's death continues, many are left wondering about the true story behind Valdimir and whether it was indeed a spy or just an unfortunate whale caught in the middle of geopolitical intrigue.