Russian Spy Ship Lasers RAF Pilots – UK Warns Putin

UK Defense Secretary John Healey: “We see you, we know what you’re doing – and we are ready”

Britain has publicly accused the Russian spy ship Yantar of using military-grade lasers to blind Royal Air Force pilots operating over UK waters – a dangerous new escalation in Moscow’s hybrid warfare campaign against NATO.On November 20, 2025, Defense Secretary John Healey confirmed the Russian vessel is currently north of Scotland, deliberately mapping critical undersea cables while repeatedly targeting a shadowing RAF Poseidon P-8 maritime patrol aircraft with blinding lasers.This marks the first confirmed laser attack by Russia against British military personnel.

“That Russian action is deeply dangerous,” Healey declared in London. “My message to Putin is crystal clear: We see you, we know exactly what the Yantar is doing, and if it moves south this week – we are fully ready.”

New Royal Navy Rules of Engagement Activated

Healey has immediately changed rules of engagement, authorizing British warships and submarines to shadow the Yantar at minimum safe distance with “all military options on the table.”

Russia Calls UK Claims “Russophobic Hysteria”

The Russian Embassy in London rejected the accusations, insisting the Yantar is a civilian oceanographic research ship operating legally in international waters.

Part of Russia’s 2025 Hybrid Assault on NATO

The laser incident is only the latest in Moscow’s escalating provocations:

Repeated drone incursions into NATO airspace (Finland, Latvia, Romania)
Suspected sabotage of Baltic undersea cables (2024–2025)
GPS jamming disrupting civilian flights across northern Europe
Rail explosion in Poland blamed on Russian agents this week
“Shadow fleet” vessels loitering near North Sea energy infrastructure

Why the Yantar Mission Is a Direct Threat

The ship carries two deep-diving mini-submarines capable of cutting or tapping transatlantic cables at 6,000 meters – potentially isolating Europe from the internet and financial systems within hours during wartime.

Live Situation – What Happens Next

UK, US, and Norwegian submarines are tracking the Yantar from below. Any movement south toward the English Channel or Irish Sea will trigger an immediate NATO-wide response.