A Russian spy ship has entered British waters and directed lasers at military pilots, Britain’s defense secretary said Wednesday, as he warned that the country was facing a “new era of threat” from hostile actors.
He said a Royal Air Force (RAF) Poseidon-8 military plane had been deployed to “track this vessel’s every move” and that its pilots said they were targeted by lasers.
“That Russian action is deeply dangerous,” Healey said. “My message to Russia and to (President Vladimir) Putin is this: ‘We see you, we know what you’re doing, and if the Yantar travels south this week, we are ready.’”
Russia’s embassy in London responded angrily to what it called “the latest provocative statements” from Healey and claimed that the Yantar was an “oceanographic research vessel” operating in international waters. In a statement, the embassy denied targeting Britain’s underwater communications or undermining its security.
“London’s Russophobic course and the whipping up of militaristic hysteria are contributing to the further degradation of European security, creating the conditions for new dangerous situations,” the embassy said.
The Yantar has entered Britain’s exclusive economic zone, which extends up to 200 nautical miles (about 230 miles) offshore, but the ship has stayed on the edge of the country’s territorial waters, defined as stretching 12 nautical miles (13.8 miles) from the coast, Britain’s PA Media news agency reported.
