The United Kingdom has confirmed it is tracking the Russian spy vessel Yantar with allied forces near its waters, signaling readiness to counter any potential threats. In a recent statement, Defense Secretary John Healey emphasized that the Y,antar had been deployed to UK waters before and warned Russian President Vladimir Putin that the UK is prepared for any actions the ship might take.
According to Healey, the Yantar, a vessel designed for gathering intelligence and mapping undersea cables, was tracked by a Royal Navy frigate and RAF planes during its latest deployment. He also noted that the ship directed lasers at pilots during the monitoring operation. Healey’s warning comes amid a broader context of heightened tensions, with NATO scrambles warplanes as Russia strikes near the Romanian border in Ukraine. Additionally, the UK has announced plans to build factories for producing munitions and military explosives, with the first factory expected to start construction next year.