It was also recorded that the ship named Yantar, reportedly in northern Scotland, used a laser for the first time to prevent Royal Air Force (RAF) pilots monitoring its activities. UK Defence Secretary Healey told journalists that the “extremely dangerous” move by Yantar was “taken very seriously” by the government.
Healey added that the UK would continue to monitor the ship and that “if Yantar changes its course, military options are ready”.
Healey said, “My message to Russia and Putin is this: We see you. We know what you are doing. And if Yantar goes south this week, we are ready”.
Healey stated that the laser incident occurred while Yantar was being tracked by RAF Poseidon P-8 aircraft deployed to “monitor every move of the ship”. It appears the incident took place within the last two weeks.
During a press conference held at the UK Prime Minister’s Office, the Defence Secretary said that the Royal Navy has changed its engagement rules, thus enabling them to follow Yantar more closely while it is “in wider UK waters”.
Healey explained that the ship, commissioned in 2015, is part of Russia’s Main Directorate of Deep Sea Research (GUGI), and that it is designed for “surveillance in peacetime and sabotage during conflicts”.
“Our military options are ready if Yantar changes its course. I won’t specify them because that would just be giving information to Putin.
When asked about the risks posed by lasers, Healey responded: “Anything that disrupts, hinders, or endangers the pilots flying above British military aircraft is extremely dangerous.”
The Russian Embassy issued a statement saying that “they are not involved in British underwater communications”.
The statement added, “Our country’s actions do not infringe upon the interests of the UK and are not aimed at weakening its security”.
Russia’s statement included the following remarks:
“However, London’s Russophobic stance and increasing militaristic hysteria are further degrading European security and paving the way for new dangerous situations. We call on the UK to refrain from taking destructive steps that could worsen the crisis on the European continent.”
Matt Western, a Labour MP and chair of the National Security Strategy Joint Committee, said: “Today’s news once again highlights that Russia poses a genuine and urgent threat to the UK’s security.”
Western stated, “I welcome the Defence Secretary’s serious approach on this issue, but there is much more we can do. More assertive retaliation may be needed.”
The Defence Secretary had previously warned about Yantar in January after its sightings in UK waters, calling the ship “another example of increasing Russian aggression”.
According to the marine tracking site MarineTraffic, the ship has not published its location since November 2, last seen in the Baltic Sea off the coast of Latvia.
On November 6, the Royal Dutch Navy announced that two of its ships escorted Yantar as it exited the North Sea near Dutch territorial waters.
Yantar’s current position is unclear, but flight tracking site FlightRadar24 shows a RAF Poseidon P-8 surveillance aircraft circling off the coast of Scotland; however, it has not been confirmed that it was tracking Yantar.
Russia describes Yantar—operated by the country’s Ministry of Defence—as an oceanographic research vessel. Western countries frequently monitor the ship in European waters and suspect part of its mission involves mapping undersea cables.
UK and NATO allies are concerned about the risks Russia poses to critical infrastructure such as offshore cables, pipelines, and internet connections.
In his speech, the Defence Secretary warned of threats from Russia’s attacks on NATO airspace, the dangers posed by China, and armed conflicts around the world, stating: “Our world is changing and becoming less predictable and more dangerous.”
Meanwhile, the Defence Ministry, criticized by a committee of MPs for its over-reliance on US defense resources and its lack of preparedness to defend UK overseas territories against military attacks, stated: The committee said that the UK and European allies need to develop their capabilities to prepare for a possible US withdrawal.”
