A Russian spy ship has directed lasers at British planes after entering British territorial waters several times.

The Russian spy ship Yantar, which operates near British territorial waters, has directed lasers at the crews of British surveillance aircraft, provoking a reaction from the UK Secretary of Defense, John Healey. He stated that the UK is prepared to respond and has developed military options in case the ship heads south. Yantar, which specializes in gathering intelligence and mapping submarine cables, has been observed near the northern coast of Scotland and has entered British territorial waters multiple times. Healey emphasized that Russia's actions are extremely dangerous and are part of a broader program targeting underwater infrastructure. The UK and NATO are concerned about the risks posed by Moscow to offshore cables, considering that potential attacks could cause major disruptions in financial and communication systems. Healey mentioned that the laser incident is a first and has changed the Navy's response rules to monitor the activities of the Yantar more closely.