A Russian navy vessel was sunk by a walrus after it got too close to the female animal’s cub during an Arctic expedition.

The Northern Fleet, alongside the Russian Geographical Society, was sailing off Franz Josef Land on the Altai tug vessel but using smaller dinghies to go ashore.

The sailors were forced to flee one of the ships when a female walrus attacked the inflatable vessel.

But while the Geographical Society reported that the vessel had been sunk, the Kremlin’s Defence Ministry omitted the detail in its September 18 report.

The Geographical Society’s report said: ‘She probably did it, fearing for her cubs. The boat sank, but the tragedy was avoided thanks to the clear actions of the squad leader. All the landing participants safely reached the shore.’

The military’s version simply says the walrus attacked and that ‘serious troubles were avoided thanks to the clear and well-coordinated actions of the Northern Fleet servicemen, who were able to take the boat away from the animals without harming them.’

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