Russian spy ship on edge of UK waters uses lasers at RAF pilots, Healey says

A Russian spy ship is operating on the edge of UK waters north of Scotland and has fired lasers at the pilots of a surveillance aircraft monitoring its operations, according to the Defence Secretary.

Speaking at a press conference in Downing Street, John Healey said it was the second time in a year that the Yantar had entered the area. He told reporters that the ship is "built for gathering intelligence and mapping our undersea cables."

"This is my message to Russia and Putin: we see you. We know what you're doing. And if the Yantar sails south this week, we are ready," he said.

Mr Healey continued: "It is part of a Russian fleet designed to target our undersea systems and those of our allies."

"It isn't just a naval operation. It's part of a Russian programme led by what they call the Main Directorate of Deep-Sea Research, or GUGI, and it's designed to have intelligence capabilities that can operate in peacetime and sabotage in conflict."

"We are determined. We are safe, we monitor it, we deter it, and we tell Putin we will be safe."

He stated this was a demonstration of Britain's capability and "readiness to respond."

Laser Incident

While the Defence Secretary had issued a warning about the ship in January, he revealed at the press conference that this was the first time the Yantar had used lasers to "disrupt" RAF pilots in an attempt to "injure" them. He described it as a threat the UK takes "very seriously."

He confirmed that he has modified the Royal Navy's rules of engagement so that it can follow the Yantar more closely "when it's in our wider waters."

"If the Yantar changes direction, we have military options open," he said. "I am not going to reveal them because doing so makes President Putin wiser."

Defence Committee Criticism

A committee of MPs has chastised the Ministry of Defence for being over-reliant on US defence capabilities and not being able to shield the UK and its overseas territories from military attack. According to the committee, the UK and its European allies should be preparing for a potential US withdrawal.

According to Mr Healey, the UK government "takes a different view" from the committee regarding America's NATO pledge.

"NATO's strength is not limited to Europe's defence. It's about America's defence," he told reporters. However, he admitted the committee was "right to say" that Britain should "pick up the speed of our commitment," adding that this was something Labour has been doing since it took power last year.

EU Defence Talks

The report comes as British negotiators try to reach an agreement with the EU to encourage British defence companies to contribute to projects funded by a new EU defence loan programme, which is set to launch next year.

The Labour government intends to strike an agreement in the coming weeks to allow British companies to participate in the first round of competitions, with applications due by the end of this month.

Amid reports that the two sides are at odds over the 'entry fee', Mr Healey told reporters that the UK intends to be involved in the scheme but not "at any cost." Any financial contribution to participate, he said, would have to be "good value for money for our taxpayers and our industry."