Russia spy ship directed lasers at UK military pilots

THE Russian spy ship Yantar is operating on the edge of UK waters and has directed lasers at pilots of surveillance aircraft monitoring its activities, the Defence Secretary has said.

- PRESS ASSOCIATION

The Russian spy ship Yantar

(Ministry of Defence/Crown Copyright)

John Healey said Britain "is ready" to respond, with "military options" drawn up if the ship heads south, in a warning to Russian president Vladimir Putin.

The vessel, designed for gathering intelligence and mapping crucial undersea cables, is loitering off the northern coast of Scotland, having entered wider UK waters over the past few weeks.

Mr Healey told a Downing Street press conference yesterday: "We deployed a Royal Navy frigate and RAF P-8 planes to monitor and track this vessel's every move, during which the Yantar directed lasers at our pilots.

"That Russian action is deeply dangerous. This is the second time this year that this ship, the Yantar, has deployed to UK waters.

"My message to Russia and to Putin is this, 'We see you. We know what you're doing. If the Yantar travels south this week, we are ready."