LONDON – Britain issued a direct warning to Russia on Wednesday, stating it is prepared to counter any incursions after the Russian spy ship Yantar was detected operating on the edge of UK waters north of Scotland.
Defence Secretary John Healey revealed that the vessel had targeted the pilots of surveillance aircraft monitoring its activities with lasers.
A Direct Message to the Kremlin
“My message to Russia and to Putin is this: ‘We see you. We know what you’re doing’,” Healey declared during a briefing in London. “And if the Yantar travels south this week, we are ready.”
British officials identified the Yantar as a specialized Russian navy vessel designed for intelligence gathering in peacetime and sabotage operations during war. Consequently, the UK and its allies consistently track and work to deter the ship’s operations whenever it approaches British territorial waters.
A Threat to Critical Infrastructure
Healey emphasized the direct threat such vessels pose, referencing previous attacks on undersea infrastructure. “It is part of a Russian fleet designed to put and hold our undersea infrastructure and those of our allies at risk,” he stated.
A Pattern of Provocation
This incident is not an isolated one. Healey noted that the Yantar has a history of probing British defences. Following a warning last year, the ship left UK waters for the Mediterranean. When it transited through the English Channel in January, it was shadowed by HMS Somerset, a Royal Navy frigate dedicated to homeland defence.
