A beluga whale suspected of spying for the Russian government was found dead over the weekend, according to the nonprofit Marine Mind.

The whale, named “Valdimir,” was spotted floating in the ocean. Marine Mind Researcher Sebastian Strand told Norway's NRK that the name “Hvaldimir” fusion Reuters reported that the name is a combination of the Norwegian word for whale and the first name of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Valdimir had been swimming south along the Norwegian coast since 2019, Acquire NRK reported that he has celebrity status among his fans.

Strand told NRK that the cause of the whale's death was unknown. Regina Crosby Haug, director of One Whale, told the outlet that Valdimir showed no signs of illness and that the organization was trying to move the whale from the area. (Related article: President Trump says offshore wind farms are 'killing more whales than I've ever seen in my life')

Valdimir was first spotted in Norwegian waters five years ago. According to He told the BBC he was wearing a camera and a harness with the words “St Petersburg Gear” written on it.

According to a BBC report, Russian military authorities have not revealed any details about Hvaldimir's origins or the reasons for his death.

Satellite images reveal that the Russian Navy operates a facility for marine mammals in the Barents Sea Oberwald. Reported The media speculated that Valdimir may have escaped the facility or been sent into Norwegian waters on an intelligence-gathering mission.

Hvaldimir was reportedly very friendly with people and responded to hand gestures. According to To Marine Mind. Though his body was scarred from being hit by boats so many times, he proved to be a resilient animal. (RELATED: Video captures cruise ship entering port with 44-foot whale on its bow)

You can see an enclosure containing what appears to be a beluga whale. Russia Use Google Earth.

According to CBS News, 11 killer whales and 90 beluga whales were found confined in a small enclosure off Russia's Pacific coast. Reported He was captured in 2018. Local news reports have described the enclosure as a “whale prison”, and activists fear the animals are being illegally sold to water parks and aquariums in China.

Since a global ban on commercial whaling was put in place in 1982, it has been illegal to take whales in the wild for any purpose other than scientific or educational, the media reported.