19/11/2025
A Russian spy ship has been operating on the edge of UK territorial waters north of Scotland and allegedly aimed lasers at pilots of British surveillance aircraft monitoring its movements, UK Defence Secretary John Healy has warned.
Healy said the UK is “ready” to respond, with “military options” prepared if the intelligence-gathering vessel, the Yantar, heads further south, issuing a direct warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Calling this a “new era of hard power,” Healy stressed that Britain must increase its vigilance.
The Yantar, designed for intelligence collection and mapping sensitive undersea cables, has been lingering off Scotland’s northern coast for several weeks after entering wider UK waters. Healy said a Royal Navy frigate and RAF P-8 patrol aircraft were deployed to track the vessel, during which the ship allegedly directed lasers at British pilots.
He described the actions as “deeply dangerous,” noting it is the second time this year the Yantar has approached UK waters. He added that the vessel is part of a Russian fleet intended to threaten UK and allied undersea infrastructure.
According to Healy, the operation is linked to Russia’s Main Directorate of Deep-Sea Research (GUGI), which oversees capabilities for surveillance in peacetime and potential sabotage during conflict.
In January, the Yantar was detected hovering near vital undersea cables before being warned off by a Royal Navy nuclear-powered submarine. UK and NATO officials are increasingly concerned about vulnerabilities to offshore cables, pipelines, and other infrastructure that are essential for global internet and financial systems.
A recent incident involving damaged undersea cables in Scotland, believed to have been caused by a fishing vessel has already disrupted internet and phone services across the Orkney and Shetland islands, underscoring the fragility of these networks.
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