Russia mocks Britain just hours after UK’s chilling ‘we are ready’ warning to Kremlin | World | News
The Russian Embassy in the UK accused the UK of being “Russophile” and mocked the Government, saying allegations of a spy ship were “just a smile”. Earlier today, Defense Secretary John Healey said the Russian spy ship Yantar was off British waters. He added that he pointed the lasers at the RAF pilots.
In response to the allegations, the Russian Embassy said: “We have noticed recent provocative statements by the head of the British defense ministry, John Healey.
“This time the reason was the activities of the Russian oceanographic research ship ‘Yantar’ in international waters.
“The endless accusations and doubts of the British leadership only cause a smile. Our country’s actions do not affect the interests of the United Kingdom and are not aimed at undermining its security.
“We have no interest in Britain’s underwater communications.”
The Russian Embassy added that the “escalation of militarist hysteria” “contributes to the further deterioration of European security and creates preconditions for new dangerous situations.”
“We call on the British side to avoid destructive steps that further worsen the crisis phenomenon on the European continent,” the statement said.
Healey claimed the Russian spy ship was off the coast of Scotland and issued a stern warning to Moscow not to go any further south.
During a major defense speech in Downing Street, Healey said: “As I speak, a Russian spy ship – the Yantar – is off the coast of the UK’s waters north of Scotland and has entered the UK’s vast waters in the last few weeks. It is a ship designed to gather intelligence and map our undersea cables. We have deployed a Royal Navy frigate and RAF aircraft to monitor and track this ship’s every move, while the Yantar has pointed lasers at our pilots.”
The ship has cable-cutting equipment along with surveillance and intelligence-gathering capabilities, making it “the kind of ship a Bond villain would be proud of,” writes Sky News’ Dominic Waghorn. According to Healey, “it can carry out surveillance in peacetime and sabotage in conflict.”
But the most alarming action is the use of a laser to distract the British pilot.
Matthew Savill, of the Royal United Services Institute, told Sky New: “If this had been used to dazzle the pilot and the plane had subsequently crashed, then perhaps it could be argued that it was not only hostile but also essentially an armed attack, because it had the same effect as if a gun had been used.”
Undersea fiber optic cables carry the digital traffic that forms the basis of today’s economies and communications networks. Oil and gas pipelines laid on the ocean floor are equally important; It provides the energy that keeps industries running and homes heated. But both types of infrastructure extend very long distances underwater, remain largely unprotected, and are difficult to monitor.
This fragility is a constant source of concern for the West, and Moscow is aware of the strategic pressure it creates.
Therefore, some of Russia’s most advanced naval technologies are designed to detect, study and potentially exploit these undersea arteries. The Yantar ship is believed to have been silently mapping sections of these cable and pipeline systems. Analysts fear that information collected today could be used in the future to interfere with or disable key components of this underwater network.
