Defence secretary John Healey has warned Vladimir Putin “we are ready” after he revealed a Russian spy ship is “on the edge of UK waters”.

The cabinet minister said the Yantar had “entered the UK’s wider waters over the last few weeks” and has been gathering intelligence and mapping the UK’s undersea cables.

Healey said the ship had directed lasers at the pilots of RAF surveillance aircraft monitoring its activities off the coast of Scotland.

“That Russian action is deeply dangerous, and this is the second time this year this ship has deployed to UK waters.

“So my message to Russia and to Putin is this: We see you. We know what you’re doing. And if the Yantar travels south this week, we are ready.”

BREAKING: Defence secretary John Healey says British forces were hit by lasers whil

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