Russian spy ship ‘directed lasers’ at UK forces, says defense secretary – POLITICO

LONDON — A Russian spy ship fired lasers at British forces deployed to monitor the vessel after it entered U.K. waters, the defence secretary said Wednesday.

John Healey confirmed the Russian spy ship Yantar was deployed to British waters for the second time this year after doing so in January and was currently on the edge of the U.K.’s territorial waters. However, it was the first time lasers had been directed at RAF pilots.

The defense secretary said Britain deployed a Royal Navy frigate and Royal Air Force P8 planes to monitor and track the vessel, which he said was “designed for gathering intelligence and mapping our undersea cables.”