Russian spy ship, previously escorted out of Irish waters, warned by Britain after aircraft incident

A RUSSIAN SPY ship escorted out of Irish waters last year is at the centre of an incident in which the British Government claims it directed lasers at a British military aircraft. 

The Yantar, which previously saw the Irish Naval Service and Irish Air Corps monitor it above cables and pipelines in the Irish Sea, was operating north of Scotland in recent days. 

It is understood that the ship, was being monitored by NATO ships and aircraft as it was spotted in the North Atlantic.

The Journal has learned that Irish authorities were also warned that the suspicious ship may make its way into Irish controlled waters in recent weeks. 

Today in a robust warning to Russian officials Defence Secretary John Healey said that the ship had “entered” UK waters for the second time this year. It had previously made an incursion back in January.

“The Yantar is on the edge of UK waters, north of Scotland, having entered the UK’s wider waters over the last few weeks,” he said during a press conference in Downing Street.

The Yantar is a spy ship which is suspected to be involved with mapping underwater critical infrastructure including internet cables. It is understood to be capable of subsea activities and in the past sources have claimed the vessel has the ability to damage or place listening devices on the seabed.  

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The UK sent a Royal Navy frigate, HMS Somerset, to the area and a P-8 Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft to monitor the ship. 

As the Royal Air Force aircraft approached the ship, the British Defence Secretary claimed that, it directed lasers at the pilots onboard the aircraft. 

Healy described the actions of the Yantar “deeply dangerous” and issued a warning directly to Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Government.

“We see you. We know what you’re doing. If the Yantar travels south this week, we are ready,” he said. 

Healey accused the Yantar of being “part of a Russian fleet designed to put and hold our undersea infrastructure and those of our allies at risk”.

It is understood that Britain has changed its Rules of Engagement to manage the presence of the ship and other Russian craft in response. 

In November 2024 the Yantar was spotted in the seas off Dublin.

The presence of the ship in the Irish Sea was near an undersea pipeline bringing gas from Britain to Ireland and also critical undersea internet cables. 

Norwegian, US, French and British navy and aircraft spotted it on that occasion with the Russian Warship, the Admiral Golovko, on route through the English Channel. 

When it entered the Irish Sea, the irish naval vessel the LÉ James Joyce escorted it out of the Irish exclusive economic zone (EEZ) with an Irish Air Corps aircraft then observing it until it excited the Irish EEZ.

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