Defence Secretary John Healey told reporters in London that the ship had "entered" UK waters for the second time this year, following an earlier incursion back in January.

"The Yantar is on the edge of UK waters, north of Scotland, having entered the UK's wider waters over the last few weeks," he said during a press conference in Downing Street.

The UK military deployed a Royal Navy frigate and Royal Air Force planes to "monitor and track this vessel's every move, during which the Yantar directed lasers at our pilots," he added.

He called the use of the lasers "deeply dangerous" and issued a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"We see you. We know what you're doing. If the Yantar travels south this week, we are ready."

Healey said the Yantar was "part of a Russian fleet designed to put and hold our undersea infrastructure and those of our allies at risk".

Britain and NATO allies have expressed growing concern about the risk Moscow poses to offshore infrastructure following the sabotage in recent months of several undersea telecom and power cables.

Experts and politicians have accused Russia of orchestrating a hybrid war against the West as the two sides square off over Ukraine.