Lawless Planet — “Is Russia Training Dolphin Soldiers? (Are We?)”

Host: Zach Goldbaum
Episode Date: December 1, 2025

Episode Overview

In this engaging and investigative episode, host Zach Goldbaum explores the mysterious deaths of Black Sea dolphins and the intertwined history of military marine mammal programs in Russia and the United States. The narrative weaves through Cold War intrigue, ecological catastrophe, and present-day warfare, focusing on how dolphins and other marine animals have been trained—and sometimes weaponized—as part of human conflict. The investigation expands from a Ukrainian scientist’s grim discoveries to tales of “spy whales” and sheds light on the lesser-known environmental toll of war.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Mystery of the Black Sea Dolphin Die-Off

• Setting: Ukrainian scientists conduct an autopsy on a porpoise in Odessa amid the 2022 Russian invasion.
• Finding: Dr. Pavel Goldin notes a mass die-off of dolphins and porpoises beginning precisely with the Russian invasion, fueling speculation about direct and indirect causes.
  • Quote: "We observed a mass die off which precisely coincided with the beginning of the full scale Russian invasion in February 2022." — Dr. Pavel Goldin (01:54)
• Estimates suggest up to 48,000 marine mammals lost in three months post-invasion.

2. Origins and Evolution of Military Dolphin Programs

• Historical Context:
  • Both the US and USSR developed marine mammal programs during the Cold War—initially focusing on benign tasks like object recovery but also experimenting with combat potential (04:50–09:00).
• US Navy Program:
  • Blair Irvine recounts being recruited as a naive graduate and learning to train dolphins for military tasks and efficiency, not warfare (06:01–09:43).
    • Memorable Moment: Irvine’s first dolphin, Tuffy, was notoriously aggressive, requiring unconventional training tactics (09:21–10:31).
• Morality of Training Animals for Combat:
  • Irvine reflects on being asked to train dolphins to find, but not kill, swimmers in Vietnam. He clarifies he would have quit had he been asked to train a killer dolphin (12:31–13:36).
    • Quote: "Just the idea of training an animal to kill a human. The whole concept is wrong from my point of view." — Blair Irvine (13:22)

3. Fact vs. Myth: Killer Dolphins

• Alleged Incidents:
  • The infamous story of “exploding” enemy swimmers killed by dolphins is recounted and debunked as sensationalist media fabrication (Penthouse, 1977). Both Irvine and official sources deny the Navy trained dolphins to kill (13:36–15:48).
    • Quote: "So much of this is developed by the media...That's baloney." — Blair Irvine (15:48)
• Activism and Controversy:
  • Former “CIA dolphins” freed from captivity by activists (16:03–17:31).
  • Soviet and later Russian military marine mammal programs are acknowledged by declassified documents.

4. The Soviet & Russian Marine Mammal Legacy

• The Soviets operated a parallel military dolphin program in Sevastopol, later sold to Iran after Soviet collapse (20:05–22:06).
• Colorful stories include parachuting dolphins for rescue missions and a marine biologist’s dedication amid political chaos.

5. Spy Whales & Modern-Day Allegations

• 2019 Incident: Norwegian fishermen rescue a beluga whale (“Valdemir”) wearing a harness stamped "Equipment St. Petersburg," triggering international speculation of a Russian spy whale (22:06–26:38).
• Investigative Journalism:
  • Reporter Sergey Dobrynin connects the whale incident to secret Russian military research and procurement evidence (27:02–29:48).
    • Quote: "Google Maps sometimes has very decent satellite images and quite up to date." — Sergey Dobrynin (29:08)
• Theories range from underwater surveillance to port security, but direct evidence of hostile “combat” training remains unproven.
  • Quote: "Valdmir was indeed an escaped military asset... placed in the port as guards." — Zach Goldbaum (29:50–31:15)

6. War’s Environmental Catastrophes

• Destruction of the Kakhovka Dam (June 2023, 33:22): $14 billion in damages, 80 towns flooded, ecological fallout reaches the Black Sea.
• Dolphins as Collateral Damage:
  • Pollution, noise, and war-related havoc identified as possible causes of the Black Sea die-off, though Dr. Goldin reserves full judgment pending research (34:12–35:40).
    • Quote: "During each dissection, we find found symptoms which have been new and unusual for us... We detected a lot of things we have never seen before." — Dr. Pavel Goldin (35:11)

7. Ecocide and the ICC

• Ukrainian prosecutors, with Dr. Goldin’s research, consider filing charges of ecocide against Russia at the International Criminal Court—possibly a legal first (36:09).
  • Quote: "Having dolphins in a military port during the war is a crime itself, and they cannot escape because they are in a cage... it's like they putting them as hostages." — Dr. Pavel Goldin (36:47)

8. Modern Military Marine Mammal Programs

• The US Navy’s marine mammal program continues openly, now emphasizing animal care and “defensive” operations (37:37–38:33).

9. Personal Reflections & Emotional Conclusions

• Blair Irvine recounts the death of his once-hostile dolphin, Tuffy, bringing emotional closure and complicating the notion of human/animal boundaries in war.
  • Quote: "The hard bitten caustic guy who doesn't care about dolphins actually sort of does." — Blair Irvine (39:13)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• Dr. Pavel Goldin on the dolphin die-off
  “We observed a mass die off which precisely coincided with the beginning of the full scale Russian invasion in February 2022.” (01:54)

• Blair Irvine (on dolphin programs)
  “Just the idea of training an animal to kill a human. The whole concept is wrong from my point of view. They never asked me to do that. And I also said that if that was to be my next project, I quit.” (13:22)

• Irvine dismissing ‘killer dolphin’ tales
  “So much of this is developed by the media...That's baloney.” (15:48)

• Sergey Dobrynin (on evidence for Russian marine mammal programs)
  “Google Maps sometimes has very decent satellite images and quite up to date.” (29:08)

• Dr. Goldin (on dolphins as victims of war)
  “Having dolphins in a military port during the war is a crime itself, and they cannot escape because they are in a cage. So it's like they putting them as hostages, you know, and torturing them in public.” (36:47)

• Blair Irvine softens on dolphins
  “The hard bitten caustic guy who doesn't care about dolphins actually sort of does.” (39:13)

Timeline & Timestamps of Major Segments

• 00:00–01:54 — Odessa, Ukraine: marine autopsy and the emergence of the dolphin die-off
• 04:50–13:36 — Blair Irvine and the US Navy marine mammal program, including early training, ethical boundaries, and rumors of “killer dolphins”
• 15:48–18:04 — Mythmaking, CIA dolphin programs, and Soviet counterparts
• 20:05–22:06 — The Soviet dolphin program: dolphin trainers, post-Soviet transition, Iran sale
• 22:06–26:38 — “Spy whale” incident in Norway
• 27:02–31:15 — Journalistic investigation: linking Valdemir to Russian military procurement
• 33:22–35:40 — 2023 Dam destruction and the Black Sea as a war zone, animal and ecosystem damage
• 36:09–39:13 — ICC case for ecocide, reflection on animal suffering in war, and Irvine’s emotional story

Concluding Thoughts

This episode of Lawless Planet transcends its provocative title, painting a nuanced picture of how war weaponizes not just landscapes but living creatures—and how the shadow of Cold War propaganda continues to color the line between fact and fiction. With a cast of scientists, trainers, and investigative journalists, the episode asks what it means to make animals both tools and casualties of our conflicts, and whether true accountability—ecological or ethical—will ever be achieved.

For listeners interested in further exploration, the host recommends the BBC documentary "Secrets of the Spy Whale" and coverage from Radio Free Europe by Sergey Dobrynin and Mark Krutov.