Defence Secretary John Healey has delivered a direct and forceful warning to the Kremlin, revealing that a Russian intelligence vessel has been operating aggressively on the edge of UK territorial waters.
Laser Attack in Scottish Waters
During a press conference held in Downing Street, Mr Healey confirmed that the Russian spy ship Yantar is currently positioned north of Scotland. The vessel, which is specifically designed for intelligence gathering and mapping undersea communications cables, entered the UK's wider waters in recent weeks.
Royal Navy frigate and RAF aircraft were deployed to monitor the Yantar's movements. It was during this surveillance operation that the Russian ship escalated its provocative behaviour by directing lasers at the British pilots. Mr Healey condemned this act, labelling it as 'deeply dangerous'.
A Stark Warning to the Kremlin
This incident marks the second time this year that the Yantar has been deployed to UK waters, signalling a pattern of increased Russian naval activity. The Defence Secretary used the platform to send an unequivocal message to Moscow.
'We see you, we know what you're doing, and if the Yantar travels south this week, we're ready,' he stated, addressing Russian President Vladimir Putin directly.
A New Era of Global Threats
Mr Healey framed the event as a sobering indicator of the current global climate. He described the world as being in a 'new era of threat', characterised by unpredictability and heightened danger. This confrontation serves as a clear reminder of the ongoing challenges to UK national security and the importance of robust defence readiness.
