 "A screen displaying an image of Russian military ship Yantar, operating off the northern coast of Scotland, is pictured as Britain's Defence Secretary John Healey (unseen) delivers a speech in the Downing Street briefing room in central London on November 19, 2025.
- AFP")
A Russian spy ship has entered British waters and shone lasers at military pilots, the defence secretary has said, as he warned the UK was facing a “new era of threat” from hostile countries.
A Russian intelligence vessel has moved into British waters and directed lasers at UK military pilots, the defence secretary said on Wednesday, warning that Britain has entered a “new era of threat” from adversarial nations.
John Healey said the Yantar, a Russian surveillance ship, had crossed in and out of the UK’s exclusive economic zone repeatedly over recent weeks — a pattern seen earlier this year as well.
This time, however, Russian crew members reportedly used lasers against British pilots who were tracking the vessel, an action UK officials described as a notable escalation.
Healey told reporters in London that this marked the second time the ship had “entered” UK waters in 2024, following a previous incident in January.
“The Yantar is on the edge of UK waters, north of Scotland, having entered the UK’s wider waters over the last few weeks,” he said during a press conference in Downing Street.
The UK military deployed a Royal Navy frigate and Royal Air Force planes to “monitor and track this vessel’s every move, during which the Yantar directed lasers at our pilots,” he added.
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View AllHe called the use of the lasers “deeply dangerous” and issued a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“We see you. We know what you’re doing. If the Yantar travels south this week, we are ready."
Healey said the Yantar was “part of a Russian fleet designed to put and hold our undersea infrastructure and those of our allies at risk”.
Britain and NATO allies have expressed growing concern about the risk Moscow poses to offshore infrastructure following the sabotage in recent months of several undersea telecom and power cables.
Experts and politicians have accused Russia of orchestrating a hybrid war against the West as the two sides square off over Ukraine.
With inputs from agencies