A Russian spy ship directed lasers at Royal Air Force pilots monitoring its activities near British waters, prompting Defence Secretary John Healey to warn that the UK is ready with "military options" if the vessel moves closer to shore. The incident marks an escalation in tensions over Russian operations near critical UK infrastructure.
The Yantar, designed for intelligence gathering and mapping undersea cables, has been operating off the northern coast of Scotland for several weeks. The laser incident occurred within the last fortnight as RAF P-8 Poseidon aircraft tracked the vessel's movements through wider UK waters.
Healey told a Downing Street press conference on Wednesday: «We deployed a Royal Navy frigate and RAF P-8 planes to monitor and track this vessel's every move, during which the Yantar directed lasers at our pilots. That Russian action is deeply dangerous.»
The Defence Secretary changed the Royal Navy's rules of engagement to allow closer monitoring of the Yantar's activities. HMS Somerset frigate continues to shadow the vessel as it operates within the UK's exclusive economic zone, which extends up to 200 nautical miles offshore.
«My message to Russia and to Putin is this: We see you. We know what you're doing. If the Yantar travels south this week, we are ready,» Healey said. He declined to detail specific military responses, stating it would only make «President Putin wiser».
Threat to undersea infrastructure
The Yantar is part of Russia's Main Directorate of Deep-Sea Research (GUGI), a programme Healey described as designed to «undertake surveillance in peacetime and sabotage in conflict». The vessel's operations have heightened UK and NATO concerns about threats to offshore cables and pipelines critical for internet connectivity.
«It is part of a Russian fleet designed to put and hold our undersea infrastructure and those of our allies at risk,» Healey said. The National Security Strategy Committee warned in a September report that attacks on undersea cables could cause «catastrophic disruption» to financial and communications systems.
This marks the second time this year the Yantar has entered UK waters. In January, a Royal Navy nuclear-powered attack submarine surfaced near the vessel after catching it lurking over undersea cables, warning it away from the area.
International response
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, speaking in Berlin, suggested Russia's actions stem from frustration over lack of progress in Ukraine. «Russia has failed in its military objectives over the course of this year, so as a result, what we have seen them try to do is to seek continually to escalate,» she said.
Cooper added: «We see what Putin is doing and we understand and we will continue to be vigilant and determined in our response. It will not deter us from supporting Ukraine, quite the opposite, because we know Ukraine's security is our security.»
Russia denied British accusations. In a message posted on its Telegram channel, Russia's embassy in London said: «The endless accusations and suspicions of the British leadership cause only a smile. Our country's actions do not affect the interests of the United Kingdom and are not aimed at undermining its security. We are not interested in British underwater communications.»
The embassy accused the UK of pursuing a «Russophobic course and whipping up militaristic hysteria» that «contributes to the further degradation of European security».
The incident follows other signs of Russian interference in Europe, including aircraft and drones crossing into NATO airspace and a sabotage attack on a Polish rail line used to supply Ukraine. Earlier this month, the Dutch navy escorted the Yantar out of the Netherlands' section of the North Sea.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
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