The Russian spy ship “Yantar” is once again causing diplomatic tensions between London and Moscow. According to the British Ministry of Defense, the crew of the ship allegedly pointed a laser device at Royal Air Force pilots.
The incident reportedly took place off the north coast of Scotland and triggered a strong reaction from the British government.
In recent weeks, the Royal Navy had sent a Type-23 frigate and a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft to monitor the “Yantar”. The ship belongs to the Russian Ministry of Defense’s Main Administration for Deep-Sea Research (GUGI), which carries out secret deep-sea missions, among other things. On board the “Yantar” is a manned submersible of the “Project 16810 Rus” class, which can carry out missions in water depths of up to around 6000 m thanks to its titanium hull. The typical tasks of Russian deep-sea units include laying underwater sensors or manipulating critical infrastructure such as submarine cables.
It is precisely this threat to underwater infrastructure that has worried British security authorities for years. Following the laser incident, Defense Secretary John Healey spoke of “deeply dangerous behavior”. He said that appropriate military options had been prepared in the event of the “Yantar” changing course. Healey did not give any details: “That would only make President Putin smarter. My message to Russia is: we’ll see what you do – and we’re ready if the ‘Yantar’ continues south this week.”
The Russian embassy in London rejected the accusations and accused the British government of “Russophobia” and “militaristic hysteria”. London should refrain from taking measures “that could further escalate the situation on the European continent”.
Meanwhile, Poland reported another security-related incident: this week, saboteurs close to Russia are said to have blown up tracks on a strategically important railroad line in the east of the country. According to Prime Minister Donald Tusk, casualties were only prevented by the early discovery of the damage. Warsaw reacted by closing the last Russian consulate, spoke of state terrorism and arrested four suspects. Further investigations are underway.
A current thermal image of the “Yantar”, off the coast of the United Kingdom. (© Ministry of Defense UK)
