The Russian spy ship Yantar, suspected of gathering information, including on underwater cables, has appeared near the coast of the United Kingdom. Defense Minister John Healey confirmed that the ship entered the country's exclusive economic zone,

The United Kingdom has confirmed that one of its Royal Navy nuclear-powered submarines surfaced close to the Yantar, a notorious Russian spy ship late last year, to make it clear it was being observed.

The British defense secretary told Parliament that the Yantar, which he described as a Russian spy ship, had come near Britain’s coast for the second time in a few months.

The UK authorized the British submarine to surface closely to the Russian vessel to warn it off, British defense secretary Healey said.

Last November, a British submarine surfaced close to the Russian spy ship Yantar to warn it had been covertly tracked while operating near critical underwater infrastructure.

A British official sent a public warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday after the Royal Navy started tracking the Russian spy vessel Yantar in British waters this week.

Britain said it monitored a Russian spy ship in the English Channel in recent days and would strengthen its response to secret operations by Russian ships and aircraft in an effort to protect undersea cables.

The Royal Navy has been monitoring a Russian spy ship after it was spotted around UK waters earlier this week, the defence secretary has told MPs. John Healey said the vessel, Yantar, was used for gathering intelligence and mapping the UK's critical underwater infrastructure.