A Russian spy ship designed to ‘gather intelligence’ shone lasers at RAF pilots who flew overhead to surveil it as it arrived on the edge of British waters.
Hours after a report claimed the UK lacks a plan to defend itself against foreign military attacks, John Healey said the research vessel Yantar had been spotted lurking north of Scotland.
The boat, operated by Russia’s elusive deep-sea research unit GUGI, has been situated on the edge of the UK’s waters for ‘the last few weeks’, the Defence Secretary has said.
It is suspected by the West to map vital undersea infrastructure such as internet cables.
A Royal Navy frigate and RAF P-8 reconnaissance planes were deployed to monitor and track the Yantar’s moves, and to capture infrared photographs.
The Russians responded by directing lasers at pilots – an unprecedented escalation that the Defence Secretary was taking ‘extremely seriously’.
‘That Russian action is deeply dangerous, and this is the second time this year that this ship, the Yantar has deployed to UK waters,’ Healey said.
‘We have military options ready should the Yantar change course,’ he added.
He concluded: ‘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.’
