UK Defence Secretary John Healey accused Moscow of its "intelligence" vessel "Yantar" allegedly approaching British waters. He publicly addressed the Russian leadership during a press conference in London, writes the Eurasian Times.
We see you. We know what you are doing. And if the "Yantar" heads south this week, we will be ready.
According to him, the crew of the Russian vessel is mapping underwater cables and also directing laser beams at British Air Force pilots. Healey claims that this is the second case of "Yantar's" "intrusion" into the UK's exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
Therefore, it was put under surveillance. The vessel is currently being escorted by the HMS Somerset Type 23 frigate and a Poseidon P-8 reconnaissance aircraft of the British Air Force.
In the West, "Yantar" is Considered a Spy Ship
The research vessel "Yantar" was built at the Yantar shipyard in Kaliningrad. It was commissioned in 2015.
"Yantar" was used in secret operations off the coasts of NATO member countries. The research vessel first attracted the attention of Western intelligence in 2017 off the coast of Syria. In the autumn of 2024, the vessel crossed the English Channel accompanied by the HMS Somerset Type 23 frigate. In January 2025, it appeared off the coast of Great Britain.
According to vessel tracking services, in early November, "Yantar" was in the Baltic Sea, then it was seen in the North Sea. Brussels fears that the vessel may be involved in sabotage on European underwater infrastructure.
About the Research Vessel "Yantar"
The research vessel (project 22010 "Kryuys") is part of the fleet of the Main Directorate of Deep-Sea Research of the Russian Ministry of Defense. It is equipped with deep-sea uninhabited and autonomous underwater vehicles that can dive to a depth of up to 6 km.
Probably, we are talking about vehicles of projects 16810 "Rus" and 16811 "Consul". The purpose of "Yantar" is research and rescue missions, searching for objects on the seabed.
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