Russian Frigate Admiral Grigorovich Fired Warning Shots Near UK Yacht in English Channel

A Russian warship fired warning shots near a UK-registered pleasure yacht in the English Channel on Tuesday, an incident that caused no damage but prompted a U.K. Defense Ministry investigation.

The Russian defense ministry said the frigate Admiral Grigorovich tried to contact the yacht when it was seen sailing on a "dangerous course in close proximity with the warship," then launched flares and issued sound signals before the commander decided to fire warning shots across the vessel's bow using small arms.

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Britain’s defense ministry said the shots were "not aimed at the vessel and were an attempt to prevent a possible collision," and it said the yacht continued its journey from the U.K. toward France.

The incident took place about 20 nautical miles (37 kilometres) south of the Isle of Wight outside U.K. territorial waters, with HMS Mersey monitoring the Russian ship at the time and providing support to the yacht’s crew.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the incident was "reckless" and "deeply concerning," adding that "That shouldn’t have happened" and that the couple on the yacht "must’ve been terrified."

Jane Kelvey, sailing on the UK-flagged Bright Future with her husband Alan, told BBC Newsnight that the Russian navy vessel "gave out five blasts on their horn" and that the two vessels were "definitely not on a collision course."

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Kelvey said that after additional horn blasts, the yacht was followed by "four to five small arms fire," which she said appeared to be warning fire rather than aimed at the yacht.

Russia’s defense ministry said the yacht then changed course away from the Russian ship after the commander opened warning fire along the vessel’s course using the ship’s small arms, while the U.K. said the warning shots were an attempt to prevent a possible collision.

The Channel incident came two days after the U.K. intercepted and boarded a Russia-linked shadow fleet oil tanker, and Starmer said the two events were not linked.

In the earlier operation, Royal Marine Commandos and officers from Britain’s National Crime Agency boarded the tanker Smyrtos in the English Channel, and the U.K. said it would be held and monitored off the south coast of England while investigations continued.

The U.K. Defense Ministry said the incident was "isolated" and not linked to the weekend interception, while Russia’s defense ministry framed its actions as strict compliance with international maritime regulations to prevent an incident.

The episode also unfolded as the G7 summit gathered in France, where Starmer said the incident needed to be seen in a broader context of western economic sanctions on Russia’s ability to fight in Ukraine.