Ukraine claims its military dolphins are so patriotic that they died rather than follow Russian command

Dolphins.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Ukraine is alleging that its military dolphins have all died because they went on a hunger strike after their aquarium was seized by Russia during the annexation of Crimea in 2014, The Financial Times' Max Seddon tweets based on a report by Moscow's Gazeta. The report suggests that the dolphins refused to obey their Russian coaches' commands and went on a hunger strike in protest of their new masters, which eventually led to their deaths.

In one comment translated by Seddon, an officer reportedly applauded the dolphins' patriotism, saying that many Ukrainian soldiers "took their oath and loyalty much less seriously than these dolphins."

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.