The UK government on Wednesday accused a Russian intelligence vessel, Yantar, of entering British waters and endangering Royal Air Force pilots by directing lasers at them, prompting Defence Secretary John Healey to deliver a direct message to President Vladimir Putin: “We see you. We know what you’re doing. If the Yantar travels south this week, we are ready.”

Healey’s remarks, delivered during a Downing Street press conference, marked the second incursion by the Yantar – an infamous Black Sea Fleet research ship operated by Russia’s secretive Main Directorate for Deep-Sea Research (GUGI) – into the UK’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) this year.

The vessel, capable of deploying deep-sea submersibles for surveillance and potential sabotage, has been loitering on the edge of territorial waters off the coast of Scotland for weeks, according to UK officials.

Thermal imaging released by the Ministry of Defence showed the 108-metre ship being shadowed by HMS Somerset, a Type 23 frigate, and RAF Poseidon P-8 surveillance aircraft.

“This is deeply dangerous,” Healey emphasised, describing the laser incident as a first-of-its-kind provocation from the Yantar against British forces.

“Anything that impedes, disrupts, or puts at risk pilots in charge of British military planes is unacceptable.”

In response, Healey announced immediate changes to Royal Navy rules of engagement, allowing closer tracking within the UK’s wider waters (up to 200 nautical miles offshore).

“We have military options ready should the Yantar change course,” he added, underscoring Britain’s preparedness in what he called a “new era of threat” from adversarial states.

The Yantar’s activities have heightened alarms over Moscow’s hybrid warfare tactics, particularly its probing of undersea infrastructure. Healey described the ship as part of a Russian fleet “designed to put and hold our undersea infrastructure – and that of our allies – at risk.”

Equipped with two manned submersibles that can dive to 6,000 metres and remote-operated vehicles, the Yantar has long been suspected of mapping critical submarine cables for telecommunications, power, and gas pipelines – vulnerabilities exposed by a spate of Baltic Sea incidents in recent months.

The Yantar’s Shadowy History

The Yantar, commissioned in 2015 and often labeled as an “oceanographic research vessel,” has a track record of clandestine operations near NATO shores.

It was first spotlighted by Western intelligence in 2017 for alleged submarine salvage near Syria, but its notoriety grew with repeated forays into European waters.

In November 2024, it transited the English Channel under close escort by HMS Somerset, prompting a public warning from then-Defence Secretary Grant Shapps.

In January 2025, it reappeared off the UK coast, shadowed by a Royal Navy nuclear submarine that surfaced dramatically nearby to signal observation – a move Healey hailed as a “clear demonstration of our capabilities.”

This week’s episode, however, introduces a dangerous new element: the laser targeting of RAF pilots. UK officials confirmed it occurred during a routine surveillance flight by a P-8 Poseidon, which detected the vessel hovering suspiciously near known cable routes.

“This is the first time we’ve seen this action from the Yantar directed against the British RAF,” Healey told reporters, vowing to treat it “extremely seriously.”

Ship-tracking data last plotted the Yantar in the Baltic Sea north of Latvia on November 2 & Dutch naval vessels escorted it out of the North Sea on November 6.

Europe has been gripped by a wave of suspected sabotage attempts targeting undersea assets, with at least four major incidents in the Baltic Sea since November 2024 – all pointing at deliberate interference.

The most recent incident occurred on Christmas Day 2024, when the Estlink 2 power cable linking Finland and Estonia – carrying up to 10% of the Baltic region’s electricity – was severed, alongside four telecom lines.

Finnish investigators seized the Cook Islands-flagged tanker Eagle S, which had departed a Russian port, suspecting anchor-dragging as a cover for sabotage.

Preceding that, two Swedish telecom cables (BCS East-West Interlink and C-Lion1) were cut on November 17-18, 2024, near the Chinese-flagged Newnew Polar Bear – part of a “shadow fleet” evading sanctions on Russian oil exports.

In February 2025, a Germany-Finland data cable was damaged east of Gotland, with sabotage suspected; Swedish and Finnish police launched probes and deployed coast guard vessels for underwater inspections.

Norway followed suit in late January, seizing the Russian-crewed Silver Dania off Tromsø on Latvian orders after it allegedly damaged a Sweden-Latvia cable.

While some cases (like a January Swedish incident) were ruled accidental, the cluster has prompted NATO’s “Baltic Sentry” operation – involving drone boats, patrols, and enhanced surveillance – and EU proposals for a rapid-response repair fleet.

Experts and NATO officials have repeatedly pointed to Russia, citing its GUGI unit’s expertise in deep-sea ops and a pattern of “grey zone” aggression since the 2022 Ukraine invasion.

“These aren’t accidents – they’re tests of our resolve,” warned Polish Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak in an interview.

The disruptions threaten 99% of global data traffic and energy security, with economic fallout potentially in the billions.

Russia swiftly dismissed the accusations and said: “With its Russophobic course and escalation of militaristic hysteria, London is contributing to the further degradation of European security and creating conditions for new dangerous situations. We urge the UK to refrain from taking steps that exacerbate the crisis in Europe,” the Russian embassy in London said.

Moscow has consistently denied involvement in cable sabotage, labeling the Yantar as a legitimate research vessel.

Relations between London and Moscow, already at a post-Cold War nadir over Ukraine support, have plunged further. Healey reiterated Britain’s unwavering commitment: “Russia’s actions will not deter us from standing with Ukraine or protecting our allies.”