'We see you': UK warning after Russian spy ship spotted

ODN

The Royal Navy has been monitoring a Russian spy ship which entered British waters earlier this week, defence secretary John Healey told the Commons. Healey said he wanted Putin to know "we see you, we know what you're doing and we will not shy away from robust action to protect this country". It's the second time the Russian vessel, named Yantar, was used for intelligence gathering in British waters in recent months. Report by Faragt. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn

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00:00A foreign vessel, Yantar, is currently in the North Sea,

00:04having passed through British waters.

00:08Let me be clear.

00:10This is a Russian spy ship used for gathering intelligence

00:15and mapping the UK's critical underwater infrastructure.

00:22Yantar entered the UK Exclusive Economic Zone

00:26about 45 miles off the British coast on Monday.

00:31For the last two days,

00:34the Royal Navy has deployed HMS Somerset and HMS Tyne

00:38to monitor the vessel every minute through our waters.

00:43And I changed the Royal Navy's rules of engagement

00:47so that our warships can get closer

00:49and better track the Yantar.

00:53So far, the ship has complied

00:56with international rules of navigation.

01:00But, Mr Speaker, this is the second time

01:03that Yantar has entered our waters in recent months.

01:07In November, the ship was also closely watched

01:11and detected loitering

01:13over UK critical undersea infrastructure.

01:16We had been covertly monitoring its every move.

01:20The ship then left UK waters without further loitering

01:25and sailed down to the Mediterranean.

01:28And I also want President Putin to hear this message.

01:33We see you.

01:35We know what you're doing.

01:38And we will not shy away from robust action

01:41to protect this country.

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