Russia Reportedly Training Combat Dolphins in Occupied Crimea to Counter Ukrainian Forces

The British military has reported that Russia appears to be training combat dolphins in the annexed Crimean peninsula to counter Ukrainian forces. According to the U.K. Defence Intelligence, the Russian Navy has invested heavily in security at the Black Sea Fleet’s main base at Sevastopol since last year. This includes at least four layers of nets and booms across the harbor entrance.

In recent weeks, these defences have highly likely also been augmented by an increased number of trained marine mammals,” the ministry said. Imagery shows a near doubling of floating mammal pens in the harbor which highly likely contain bottle-nosed dolphins. The ministry added that the animals housed in Sevastopol harbor are “highly likely intended to counter enemy divers.”

NBC News was not able to independently verify the ministry’s claims about the port on the peninsula, which Russia occupied in 2014. However, the intelligence assessment was widely reported on by Ukrainian media.

Russia has trained animals for a range of missions, but the use of combat dolphins is a unique development in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. It is unclear how effective the dolphins will be in countering Ukrainian forces, but it is clear that Russia is investing heavily in its defences.