UK defense secretary warns Russia it is ready to deal with any incursions into UK waters

Britain warned Russia on Wednesday that it was ready to deal with any incursions into its territory after the spy ship Yantar was detected on the edge of UK waters north of Scotland.

Defense Secretary John Healey said the Russian vessel had directed lasers at pilots of surveillance aircraft monitoring its activities. He described it as part of a Russian fleet designed to put undersea infrastructure at risk.

“My message to Russia and to Putin is this: We see you. We know what you’re doing,’’ Healey said during a briefing in London. “And if the Yantar travels south this week, we are ready.”

This isn’t the first time the Yantar has probed Britain’s defenses, Healey said. After a warning last year, the Yantar left UK waters for the Mediterranean. When the Russian ship later sailed through the English Channel in January, it was followed by HMS Somerset, a frigate assigned to homeland defense in the waters around Britain.