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Satellite images show Russia deploying trained dolphins to protect Black Sea naval base

The US Naval Institute said the dolphins may be tasked with counter-diver operations to prevent Ukrainian forces infiltrating the harbour.

THE US NAVAL Institute (USNI) has said new analysis of satellite images shows Russia has deployed trained military dolphins at its naval base in the Black Sea.  

The images show that two dolphin pens were moved to the entrance to Sevastopol harbour in February, around the time of the invasion of Ukraine. 

USNI said the dolphins may be tasked with counter-diver operations, which is a that role both the US and Russia have trained marine mammals for. It said this could prevent Ukrainian special operations forces from infiltrating the harbour underwater to sabotage warships.

The US navy has trained sea lions and dolphins since 1959 while, during the Cold War, the Soviet Navy also trained dolphins.

Dolphins possess sophisticated sonar which helps them detect mines on the ocean floor. They can dive incredibly deeply and, like sea lions, have low light vision and underwater directional hearing .

Dolphins are usually trained to detect and mark dangerous object underwater and alert naval officers to unauthorised swimmers or divers. 

During the Cold War the Soviet Navy’s dolphin unit in the Black Sea was based at Kazachya Bukhta near Sevastopol.

This unit transitioned to the Ukrainian military after the collapse of the Soviety Union in 1991, but came under Russian control after the 2014 annexation of Crimea. 

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    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Fr. Fintan Stack
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    Apr 28th 2022, 10:31 AM

    So Fungi working for the Russians now? So that’s where he went?

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    Mute john o'rourke
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    Apr 28th 2022, 11:55 AM

    @Fr. Fintan Stack:

    Its Fungie not Fungi. Fungi is a mushroom

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    Mute Baron Adams TD
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    Apr 28th 2022, 12:01 PM

    @john o’rourke: Based on reports of his demise, so is Fungie

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    Mute Fr. Fintan Stack
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    Apr 28th 2022, 12:07 PM

    @john o’rourke: Aren’t you brilliant? You left out the comma in “its”. You also failed to include a full stop at the end of your last sentence.

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    Mute Fr. Fintan Stack
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    Apr 28th 2022, 12:09 PM

    @Fr. Fintan Stack: I’ll correct myself before you do, apostrophe.

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    Mute alan scott
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    Apr 28th 2022, 12:13 PM

    @john o’rourke: trained mushrooms then? Lol

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    Mute Brian Burns
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    Apr 28th 2022, 12:47 PM

    @alan scott: trained mushrooms-ffg voters

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    Mute Tom Leddy
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    Apr 28th 2022, 2:36 PM

    @Brian Burns: The FFG voters you refer to are your family, neighbours, friends, work colleagues, community members etc. I don’t vote FF or FG but I won’t label those who do with terms like you use or any slur for that matter. We live in a democracy, it comes with the deal that people can vote for who they like.

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    Mute alan scott
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    Apr 28th 2022, 2:44 PM

    @Brian Burns: we live in a democratic country, i vote for anyone on the left wing spectrum

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    Mute Dave Harris
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    Apr 28th 2022, 3:06 PM

    @Tom Leddy: Tom is a mushroom then

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    Mute Tom Leddy
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    Apr 28th 2022, 4:29 PM

    @Dave Harris: Wow. You got me with that comment. So intelligent. The future looks bright!!

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    Mute Tommy Roche
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    Apr 28th 2022, 10:32 AM

    Something very fishy about this story.

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    Mute John Johnes
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    Apr 28th 2022, 11:18 AM

    Red Alert 2

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    Mute Dave Connolly
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    Apr 28th 2022, 1:46 PM

    @John Johnes: thinking same thing. What’s next shock troops and maybe Tanya !!

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    Mute Marcus Suridius
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    Apr 28th 2022, 5:53 PM

    @John Johnes: the brotherhood of NOD shall prevail.

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    Mute Don Knox
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    Apr 29th 2022, 12:05 PM

    @John Johnes: you mean it’s a red herring

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    Mute Terry Fagan VO
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    Apr 28th 2022, 1:57 PM

    Release the dolphins Smithers! Excellent.

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    Mute Patricia O'Brien
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    Apr 28th 2022, 12:51 PM

    Poor dolphins kept caged up like that.

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    Mute Brian James Moss
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    Apr 28th 2022, 12:13 PM

    I never trusted that flipper lad !

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    Mute andrew
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    Apr 28th 2022, 7:43 PM

    Creative thinking getting Dolphins to do military operations.

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    Mute andrew
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    Apr 28th 2022, 7:44 PM

    @andrew: I hope their given medals.

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    Mute HerotoZero
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    Apr 28th 2022, 10:20 PM

    Mammalian even!

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