A Russian spy ship, the Yantar, has entered British waters and reportedly directed lasers at military pilots, raising alarms within the UK government. Defence Secretary John Healey confirmed that this incident marks the second deployment of the Yantar to UK waters this year. The Yantar, which is designed for intelligence gathering and mapping undersea cables, has been operating off the northern coast of Scotland. Healey stated that a Royal Navy frigate and RAF P-8 surveillance planes have been dispatched to monitor the vessel's movements. During a press conference at Downing Street, Healey warned, "That Russian action is deeply dangerous. My message to Russia and to Putin is this: we see you, we know what you’re doing, but if the Yantar travels south this week, we are ready." The Defence Secretary elaborated that the Yantar is part of a broader Russian fleet aimed at threatening undersea infrastructure critical to the UK and its allies. He described the operation as part of a programme led by the Main Directorate of Deep-Sea Research, or GUGI, which is capable of conducting surveillance in peacetime and sabotage during conflicts. Concerns have been mounting regarding the risks posed by Russian activities to offshore cables and pipelines, which are vital for internet connectivity. A report from the National Security Strategy Committee highlighted that attacks on these undersea cables could lead to "catastrophic disruption" of financial and communication systems in the UK. The Yantar has been operating within the UK’s exclusive economic zone, which extends up to 200 nautical miles offshore, and has been spotted close to Britain’s territorial waters, within 12 nautical miles from the coast. The incident involving the lasers occurred within the last fortnight. Healey emphasised the seriousness of the situation, stating, "Clearly, anything that impedes, disrupts or puts at risk pilots in charge of British military planes is deeply dangerous. This is the first time we’ve had this action from Yantar directed against the British RAF." In response to the escalating situation, the Defence Secretary has altered the navy’s rules of engagement to allow for closer monitoring of the Yantar's activities. He confirmed that military options are prepared should the vessel change course, although he refrained from disclosing specific strategies to avoid alerting President Putin. The UK government has not publicly detailed any diplomatic communications with Russia regarding this incident, with a spokesperson stating that the UK’s position on Russian interference remains clear, but specifics on diplomatic discussions would not be disclosed.