MIKHAIL SEMENOV/ SIBERIAN TIMES Russia has tested the deployment of white whales, seals and dolphins for military purposes

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As Vladimir Putin boosts his military presence in polar waters, new research has been undertaken on training sea mammals for underwater warfare roles including potentially killing intruders. While seals and dolphins have been deployed for military purposes by Cold War foes America and the USSR. the attempt to use white whales in the Arctic is new for Russia, it has been claimed.

Work was done to assess whether white whales could be used to "guard entrances to naval bases" in polar regions and "assist deep water divers and if necessary kill any strangers who enter their territory", according to a report for TV Zvezda, owned by the Russian defence ministry. "It was mainly about white whales with highly sensitive sonars," stated the story, which stated that their performance at military tasks was not as reliable as seals.

SIBERIAN TIMES Research has been undertaken on training sea mammals for underwater warfare roles

Even after a one year break in training the seal will keep all oral commands in its memory TV Zvezda report

"It was planned that white whales could be on duty at the entrances to naval bases. "But (they) turned to be very delicate animals - they easily got ill after long swimming in cold polar waters." However, seals were seen as more effective as Russia builds up its Arctic naval strength, according to The Siberian Times. Seals are seen as "very strong with good guarding reactions.

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"Even after a one year break in training the seal will keep all oral commands in its memory." Research was conducted on ringed, bearded, grey and Greenland seals along with bottle-nosed dolphins in a programme financed by the Russian Academy of Sciences. "They can locate mines and lift objects from deep waters," reported Zvezda, which said research was conducted at Murmansk Sea Biology Research Institute. "It is enough to show and object to a seal and it will find it at the bottom.

GETTY - STOCK IMAGE The attempt to use white whales in the Arctic is new for Russia

"The seal can be actively in touch with a diver - it can bring up a tool or carry away something. It can distinguish 'his' diver from a stranger. "If the seal receives a special signal, it can block or kill the underwater saboteur." Bearded seals have come out on top as 'special forces' underwater combatants in northern conditions, it was reported in Russia. Scientist Gennady Matishov said they had high 'professionalism', and humans are seen as happier to deal with seals than - for example - sea lions.

GETTY Seals were seen as more effective as Russia builds up its Arctic naval strength