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 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.

A Royal Navy submarine was authorized to surface close to a Russian ship "strictly as a deterrent measure," British Defense Secretary John Healey said.

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.

A Russian spy ship entered British waters twice in recent weeks, prompting the UK to deploy Royal Navy ships, Royal Air Force planes and a submarine, Defence Secretary John Healey said.

Defence Secretary John Healey said Russia "remains the most pressing and immediate threat to Britain", and added that "any threat will be met with strength and resolve".

Moscow’s intelligence ship Yantar enters UK waters in ‘another example of growing Russian aggression’, according to the Defence Secretary

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

The Yantar, which is used for gathering intelligence, is currently in the North Sea after entering the UK exclusive economic zone about 45 miles off the British coast on Monday, the Defence Secretary