The British navy said Wednesday that is ramping up measures to protect its waters from secret Russian operations after identifying a Russian spy vessel in UK waters for the second time in weeks.

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.

Defence secretary John Healey sent a stern warning to Vladimir Putin today after a Russian spy ship was spotted in British waters. During a statement in the Commons on Wednesday, the cabinet minister said the “foreign vessel” entered the UK Exclusive Economic Zone just 45 nautical miles from the British coast on Monday.