DST News: The UK has accused a Russian spy vessel of using lasers to obstruct Royal Air Force pilots monitoring its movements near British waters—marking the first reported incident of its kind.

Defence Secretary John Healey confirmed that the Russian ship Yantar deployed lasers against RAF Poseidon P-8 aircraft as they tracked the vessel alongside a Royal Navy frigate. Calling the action “deeply dangerous,” Healey said the government was treating the incident with utmost seriousness.

The Yantar, currently positioned north of Scotland, has entered UK waters twice this year. Healey warned that the UK would continue to follow the ship closely and was prepared to act if it moved further south.

“My message to Russia and to President Putin is clear: we see you, we know what you’re doing, and if the Yantar travels south this week, we are ready,” he said during a briefing at Downing Street.

Rules of Engagement Tightened

Healey revealed he has adjusted Royal Navy rules of engagement to allow British vessels to shadow the Russian ship more assertively in the UK’s surrounding waters.

The Yantar, introduced in 2015, operates under Russia’s Main Directorate for Deep Sea Research (GUGI)—a secretive unit believed to conduct surveillance in peacetime and sabotage operations in conflict. Western intelligence agencies have long suspected the ship of mapping undersea cables and potentially targeting subsea infrastructure.

Healey declined to detail the UK’s military options, saying doing so would “only make President Putin wiser.”

Russia Denies Targeting UK Interests

The Russian Embassy dismissed the allegations, insisting Moscow had “no interest in British underwater communications” and that its activities did not threaten UK security.

It accused London of “Russophobic” behaviour and warned that rising “militaristic hysteria” in the UK risked worsening European security. Russia urged Britain to avoid “destructive steps” that could escalate tensions.

Security Concerns Grow Across Europe

The Ministry of Defence released fresh photos on Wednesday showing Royal Navy ships shadowing the Yantar. The incident has prompted renewed warnings from UK lawmakers.

Labour MP Matt Western, who chairs Parliament’s Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy, said the episode underscored the “genuine and immediate threat” Russia poses to British security. He suggested “more assertive retaliation may be required.”

The Yantar was last officially tracked in early November in the Baltic Sea. Dutch naval vessels had escorted it out of the North Sea around the same time after it operated near Dutch territorial waters. Its present location is unclear, though flight-tracking data shows RAF surveillance aircraft conducting operations off Scotland.

Laser Use Seen as ‘Escalation’

Security experts described the use of lasers as a significant step up in Russian tactics. Elisabeth Braw of the Atlantic Council said lasers can hinder pilots’ ability to operate safely.

“Even if the lasers were not strong enough to blind them, it was provocative and definitely an escalation,” she said.

UK and NATO officials have become increasingly concerned about hostile activities around the undersea cables, pipelines, and infrastructure that keep global communications and energy networks running.

Wider Defence Pressures

Healey also warned of increased Russian incursions into NATO airspace and rising threats from China and global conflicts, saying the world had become “less predictable” and “more dangerous.”

His comments came as MPs criticised the Ministry of Defence for relying too heavily on US support and lacking resilience to defend the UK and its overseas territories without American military backing. The committee urged the UK and its European allies to strengthen their capabilities amid concerns about possible shifts in US defence commitments.

Healey insisted the government remained confident in America’s dedication to NATO, but acknowledged Britain must accelerate its own defence commitments.

UK–EU Defence Negotiations Continue

Meanwhile, the government is pushing to finalise a deal with the EU that would allow British defence companies to take part in projects funded by a new €150bn EU defence loan programme launching next year.

The UK hopes to secure an agreement within weeks, ahead of the first round of applications, though negotiations have reportedly stalled over the EU’s demand for a multi-billion-euro entry fee. Healey said the UK wanted to join the scheme but only if it provided “value for money for taxpayers and industry.”

Source BBC