The Russian spy ship Yantar is operating on the edge of UK waters and has directed lasers at pilots of surveillance aircraft monitoring its activities, the Defence Secretary has said.

John Healey said Britain “is ready” to respond, with “military options” drawn up if the ship heads south, in a warning to Russian president Vladimir Putin.

The vessel, designed for gathering intelligence and mapping crucial undersea cables, is loitering off the northern coast of Scotland , having entered wider UK waters over the last few weeks.

Mr Healey told a Downing Street press conference on Wednesday: “We deployed a Royal Navy frigate and RAF P-8 planes to monitor and track this vessel’s every move, during which the Yantar directed lasers at our pilots.

“That Russian action is deeply dangero

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