Norway says Beluga whale with apparent Russian-made harness swims south to Sweden

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Norwegian authorities say that a beluga whale first spotted in Arctic Norway in 2019 with an apparent Russian-made harness and alleged to have come from a Russian military facility has been spotted off Sweden’s west coast. A spokesman for Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries said Tuesday that the white mammal had moved quickly in the last few weeks. The whale was seen last week in the Oslo fjord where the directorate urged people to avoid contact with the animal to ensure its safety and wellbeing as people in recreational boats were out to see a huge visiting U.S. aircraft carrier.