Russian Spy Ship Spotted Again in British Waters

A Russian reconnaissance vessel, the Yantar, has once again entered British territorial waters, according to UK Defense Secretary John Healey.

According to Sky News, speaking in the House of Commons, Healey confirmed that the ship is currently in the North Sea after passing through British waters. The Royal Navy deployed two vessels, HMS Somerset and HMS Tyne, to monitor the Russian ship’s movements.

“Let me be clear—this is a Russian spy ship used for gathering intelligence and mapping critical underwater infrastructure in the United Kingdom,” Healey stated.

The incident follows a similar occurrence in November 2024, when the same vessel was closely observed while it operated near essential subsea infrastructure in UK waters. Analysts from open-source intelligence have noted that the Yantar has the capability to deploy deep-sea submersibles and has previously been observed near critical marine assets.

Officially designated as an auxiliary general oceanographic research vessel, the Yantar is operated by the Russian Ministry of Defense and is not part of the Russian Navy. However, its activities have raised concerns about potential intelligence-gathering efforts targeting critical infrastructure.

Healey emphasized the UK’s readiness to respond to any threats, stating, “We see you, we know what you are doing, and we will not hesitate to take decisive action to protect this country.”

Earlier, unidentified drones were spotted near key military sites in Europe, including the Royal Navy’s HMS Queen Elizabeth docked in Hamburg, Germany, and the Lakenheath Air Base in the UK.

The drones raised concerns about espionage, with reports suggesting potential links to Russian or Chinese operations. Attempts to intercept the drones were unsuccessful, highlighting vulnerabilities in counter-drone measures across NATO and European defense systems.