UK Has Warning for Russia Over Spy Ship: ‘We See You’
An image of the Russian spy ship Yantar which is operating off the northern coast of Scotland, is shown on a screen during Defence Secretary John Healey's speech at No 9 Downing Street in central London, Wednesday Nov. 19, 2025. (Stefan Rousseau/PA via AP, Pool)
Britain issued a sharp warning to Russia on Wednesday after a Russian intelligence vessel was spotted operating near UK waters north of Scotland. “We see you. We know what you’re doing. And if the Yantar travels south this week, we are ready,” said Defense Secretary John Healey, according to the BBC.
Healey explained that this is the second time in a year the Yantar—an intelligence-gathering ship capable of mapping and monitoring undersea cables—has approached the area. He said the vessel used lasers to interfere with British surveillance pilots, calling the tactic “deeply dangerous.”
The Yantar, he noted, is part of Russia’s Main Directorate of Deep-Sea Research (GUGI), a program built for high-level intelligence operations in peacetime and potential sabotage during conflict. Healey said he has revised the Royal Navy’s rules of engagement so that the ship can now be shadowed at much closer range, with the Guardian reporting the distance is roughly equivalent to the length of a soccer field.
“We have military options ready should the Yantar change course,” Healey added. “I’m not going to spell them out, because that only gives President Putin an advantage.”
The AP reports that Healey’s remarks come as he presses for higher defense spending ahead of next week’s budget announcement. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has committed to boosting military funding in response to rising threats from Russia, China, and Iran, but the government is weighing those commitments against tax increases and spending cuts needed to address a significant budget deficit.
The incident also unfolds as the UK works to finalize an agreement with the European Union that would allow British defense firms to participate in a new $173 billion EU defense loan initiative. Healey said the UK is interested in joining but will only do so if the terms make sense for British taxpayers and industry.
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