Russia criticised for 'dumping' trapped whales at sea

Greenpeace criticises long-awaited operation, saying it risked trauma or death for the animals

Russia's long-awaited operation to release the first batch of whales held in cramped enclosures in the country's far-east region was dangerously flawed, environmentalists have said.

The animals - 11 orcas and 87 beluga whales - have been held in captivity in a bay near the port city of Nakhodka since last year. They were due to be sold to Chinese oceanariums, before images of the animals languishing in the "whale prison" caused an international outcry.