"We see you, we know what you are doing and we will react!" This is the strong message that London sent to Russian President Vladimir Putin today, as British Defense Minister John Healy revealed a "heated" episode on the high seas between the Russian spy ship "Yantar" and a British Royal Navy submarine.
The British minister, speaking in Parliament, recounted details of the incident with the Russian ship that is believed to specialize in gathering intelligence about critical underwater infrastructure.
First, John Healy confirmed that the Russian ship Yantar entered Britain's Exclusive Economic Zone on Monday, January 20.
"Over the past two days, the Royal Navy has deployed the frigate HMS Somerset and the coastal patrol vessel HMS Tyne to monitor the vessel every minute in our waters," he said.
The British Defense Secretary also confirmed that he has approved changes to regulations, allowing British warships to approach the ship more closely and monitor it more effectively.
He then revealed another incident involving the Russians, which occurred in November 2024, where a British submarine "chased" the ship in question.
"I allowed the Royal Navy submarine to go near Yantar, strictly as a deterrent, to make it clear that we were secretly observing her every move," he said.
As John Healy describes it, the submarine dived "silently" behind the Yantar and surfaced within striking distance of the Russian ship, to signal that the Russians were under observation.
The November incident also involved British Royal Air Force maritime patrol aircraft, which ensured the Russian ship left their waters.
"This is another example of increased Russian aggression targeting our allies and us," he said, referring to incidents of damage to undersea cables in the Baltic Sea, which are suspected to have been carried out by the shadowy Russian fleet.
Addressing Russian President Vladimir Putin directly, Britain's Defence Secretary said: "We see you. We know what you are doing and we will not hesitate to respond strongly to defend our country . "
He reiterated Britain's commitment to working with NATO allies to ensure that Russian ships and aircraft do not operate near NATO territory, which has also launched the Baltic Sentry mission to protect underwater infrastructure.
John Healy confirmed that Britain is prepared to defend its sovereignty, stressing that "Russia is dangerous but fundamentally weak" . (A2 Televizion)
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