Russian spy ship near Scotland uses lasers on UK surveillance aircraft

(MENAFN) A Russian intelligence-gathering vessel is operating just outside UK waters north of Scotland and has used lasers to distract pilots of surveillance aircraft tracking its movements, the defence secretary said. At a Downing Street press conference, John Healey noted that this is the second time within a year that the Yantar has entered UK waters.

Healey described the ship as "designed for gathering intelligence and mapping our undersea cables". Addressing Russia directly, he said: "My message to Russia and to Putin is this: we see you. We know what you're doing. And if the Yantar travels south this week, we are ready."

He explained that the vessel is part of a fleet intended to threaten undersea infrastructure belonging to the UK and its allies. "It isn't just a naval operation. It's part of a Russian programme driven by what they call the Main Directorate of Deep-Sea Research, or GUGI, and this is designed to have capabilities which can undertake surveillance in peacetime and sabotage in conflict."

Healey said that the UK tracks and deters the ship whenever it enters Britain’s wider waters, coordinating with allies. He called the latest monitoring operation a sign of the country's capability and “readiness to act”.

The defence secretary previously issued a warning in January after the Yantar was seen in UK waters.

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