UK Prepares Military Options After Russian Ship Targets RAF

The United Kingdom has prepared “military options” in response to a Russian spy ship that directed lasers at Royal Air Force (RAF) pilots, British Defence Secretary John Healey said on Wednesday.

The vessel, identified as the Yantar, is designed for intelligence gathering and mapping undersea cables. It was operating near the edge of British waters, north of Scotland, when the incident occurred. Healey described the laser targeting as “deeply dangerous” and emphasized that Britain is ready to respond depending on the ship’s next moves.

“This is the first time we’ve had this action from Yantar directed against the British RAF. We take it extremely seriously,” Healey said. He added that he had updated the Royal Navy’s rules of engagement to allow closer monitoring of the ship while it remains in UK waters.

The UK routinely deploys Royal Navy and RAF missions to shadow potential threats to national security, including Russian vessels and submarines. Such missions have increased in frequency since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Healey stressed that Britain’s military is prepared to act if the Yantar changes course, signaling a firm stance against provocations near national waters.