To Russia, the Yantar is an oceanic research vessel - to others, including the UK, it's a spy ship, and a worry for Britain's defence chiefs. The vessel has long been suspected of secretly mapping out Britain's undersea cables, where more than 90% of our data, including billions of dollars of financial transactions, are transferred. But now, a new escalation, with revelations the Yantar's sailors targeted Royal Air Force pilots in patrol planes with lasers . Shining lasers into a pilot's eyes