Russia is using military-trained dolphins in the Black Sea, satellite images revealed

Russia Ukraine war continues between Russia and Ukraine. Today is the 67th day of the war. But both the countries are not ready to give up.  To protect a naval base in the Black Sea in Crimea from underwater attacks, Russia has deployed military-trained dolphins.

These photos were taken by the American satellite company Maxar and analyzed by the US Naval Institute. The photos show the Sevastopol harbor around the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February.  ) two dolphins were stationed at the entrance.

This port, located at the southern tip of Crimea, is a major port.  Also, holds great military importance for Russia.  Although many Russian ships present here are safely out of missile range of Ukraine, they can still be attacked underwater.  In such a situation, trained bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) play an important role in their defense.

Russia has not done this for the first time. Russia has been military training and deploying marine animals since the 1960s. During the Cold War, both the US and the Soviet Union launched the Military Marine Mammal Program (  marine mammal programs.The US used dolphins and California sea lions, while the USSR deployed dolphins, beluga whales and seals in the Arctic regions.

Dolphins can communicate through the sound of high pitch whistles.  Also, they sense objects and detect distance through echolocation.  In echolocation, high-frequency clicks are sent that make objects bounce back.  With this, it finds out their distance from the dolphins.  Specially trained dolphins use this natural sonar to detect and attract attention to melee mines or enemy divers.  Russia also claims that it is exploring new ways to use the dolphin’s “detecting abilities.

Military marine mammal programs are very expensive. According to Hakai Magazine, between 2012 and 2019, the US Navy spent about $75 million on the maintenance of military dolphins. However, this was not publicly disclosed.  That’s how much Russia spends on its marine mammal programs.

Russia is using military-trained dolphins in the Black Sea, according to satellite images https://t.co/Ll1qDul50m

— Live Science (@LiveScience) April 30, 2022

This is not the first time Russian marines have been sighted. According to Forbes, in 2018, satellite photos showed that Russia deployed dolphins to a base in Tartus, Syria, during the Syrian war.  A year later, Norwegian fishermen reported that a domesticated beluga whale was troubling their boats. The whale was wearing a leash that read “Equipment of St. Petersburg”.