Defence Forces 'aware' of Russian spy ship's movements

The Defence Forces "are aware of how a known Russian ship is currently tracking" and Minister for Defence Helen McEntee has been briefed about the spy ship that earlier directed lasers at RAF pilots north of Scotland, according to a Government spokesperson.

"For operational and security reasons, it would be inappropriate for me to comment further at this point in time" Minister McEntee said in a statement to RTÉ News.

The vessel, called the Yantar, is designed for intelligence gathering and mapping undersea cables.

UK Secretary of State for Defence John Healey said that British "military options" are ready should the Russian spy ship become a threat.

Mr Healey said that directing lasers at RAF pilots was "deeply dangerous" and the UK was poised to react depending on the next move by the ship.

The British government said that the Yantar is currently north of Scotland.

In November 2024, the Russian spy ship was operating near subsea cables in the Irish Sea just north of Dublin.

The Yantar could next travel south through the Irish Sea or off the west coast of Ireland in expansive Irish EEZ waters.

Defence analyst and former army ranger, Cathal Berry said that if the Yantar goes towards Irish waters it would be a test for the new Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence, Helen McEntee.

"I've no doubt the Kremlin are fully aware that Ireland has a brand-new Defence minister and they would relish the possibility of testing her at their earliest opportunity," he said.

"The fact that she is also the new Minister for Foreign Affairs only further broadens the appeal," Mr Berry added.

Missions to monitor Russian vessels and submarines have become more frequent since Moscow's army invaded Ukraine in 2022.

Royal Navy and Royal Air Force (RAF) crews routinely shadow potential threats to national security.

Mr Healey said that directing lasers at RAF pilots was "deeply dangerous" and the UK was poised to react depending on the next move by the ship, named Yantar.

"We have military options ready should the Yantar change course," the minister said.

Responding to what it described as "endless accusations", the Russian embassy in London said: "Our country's actions do not affect the interests of the United Kingdom and are not aimed at undermining its security.

"We are not interested in British underwater communications," it said, urging "the British side to refrain from destructive steps that exacerbate the crisis phenomena on the European continent".

Yantar, designed for intelligence gathering and mapping undersea cables, is on the edge of British waters, north of Scotland, Mr Healey said.

"This is the first time we've had this action from Yantar directed against the British RAF. We take it extremely seriously.

"I have changed the navy's rules of engagement so that we can follow more closely, monitor more closely, the activities of the Yantar when it's in our wider waters," he added.