Why Ukrainian 'killer' dolphins probably aren't on the rampage

Armed, lethal dolphins have escaped into the wild? Sometimes thinly sourced stories are too good to be true

Dolphins
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

The Russian news agency RIA Novosti had quite a scoop Tuesday: "Three of the Ukrainian navy's 'killer' dolphins" have escaped their handlers during a training exercise, probably to go look for a mate. The source for this news of escaped military dolphins was "Ukrainian media," and RIA Novosti dutifully reports that "Ukraine's Defense Ministry denied the reports," but the dolphins-on-the-prowl story was mostly a set-up for the kicker: A reminder of RIA Novosti's sensational article from last fall that the Ukrainian navy's dolphins have been "trained to attack enemy combat swimmers using special knives or pistols fixed to their heads."

The American and British media ran with it. "Killer secret-agent dolphins go AWOL in Ukraine," said the New York Daily News. "3 commando dolphins go AWOL in Crimea," reported USA Today. "Ukrainian 'killer' dolphins escape training base, one is armed," warned Nature World News. Britain's The Register captured the general sentiment the best, though: "HEAVILY ARMED SEX CRAZED DOLPHINS on RAMPAGE in Black Sea."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us
Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.