In recent days the Royal Navy publicly declared that it has been closely tracking the Russian vessel Yantar while it operated near the British coastline. The Defence Secretary confirmed the ship’s presence north of Scotland, and accused it of behaviour inconsistent with civilian maritime research. Meanwhile, the Russian side offered a brief rebuttal, denying hostile intent. At SeaEmploy.com we’ve reviewed the official statements and ship’s background.
Royal Navy suspect Russian ship as spy: the UK’s official view
On 19 November 2025 the UK government announced that the Yantar, a Russian-owned vessel, had entered the UK’s “wider waters” off the northern coast of Scotland. Defence Secretary John Healey said the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force assets had been monitoring the Yantar for several days. He described the ship as “deeply dangerous” after it allegedly directed lasers at British military aircraft while under surveillance.
According to official UK releases:
- The vessel remained just outside the UK Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), but in a position visible from UK seabed infrastructure.
- A Royal Navy frigate and RAF P-8 maritime patrol aircraft shadowed the Yantar’s every move.
- At least once, a laser device pointed from the Yantar toward British crews was recorded, prompting concerns about interference with military aviation.
- Mr Healey warned Moscow that “If the Yantar travels south this week, we are ready.”
- The UK changed its rules of engagement for shadowing the ship, allowing closer tracking by British vessels.
The official line: the Yantar appears to specialise in underwater surveillance and intelligence gathering, particularly mapping undersea cables and critical infrastructure. The UK intends to deter such operations and show that these waters are under scrutiny.
What we know about the Yantar and the Russian side’s response
The Yantar (Project 22010) formally belongs to the Russian Navy’s Main Directorate of Deep-Sea Research (GUGI). It carries specialised submersibles and equipment believed capable of seabed operations—raising suspicion about its true mission.
Characteristics include:
- Home port: Severomorsk (Northern Fleet)
- Role: oceanographic research vessel, but widely described as intelligence platform with capability to survey, map and intervene with submarine cables
- Previous deployments: tracking undersea fibre-optic cables in the Arctic and near Greenland, operations in Norwegian waters and off the Baltic Sea.
The Russian embassy rejected UK accusations, labelling them “latest provocative statements” and insisted the ship was an “oceanographic research vessel… in international waters”.
In short: the Russian side says the Yantar is performing lawful research, while the UK believes the vessel is conducting hybrid operations near critical maritime infrastructure.
What’s next and what to monitor
The UK government emphasises that this is part of a “new era of threat” in which undersea cables, satellites and maritime monitoring all matter. According to Mr Healey, Russia intends to exploit undersea infrastructure and Western nations must adapt.
