Yesterday, the Russian warship Admiral Grigorovich fired warning shots near a British-registered yacht in the English Channel, around 20 nautical miles south of the Isle of Wight. The yacht, Bright Future, was being sailed by British retirees Jane and Alan Kelvey, who were travelling from Lymington in England to Cherbourg in France.
The Russian Ministry of Defence claimed the yacht was on a dangerous course and that the frigate fired warning shots after failed attempts to contact the vessel. The British Ministry of Defence said the shots were not aimed at the yacht and were an attempt to prevent a possible collision. The yacht’s crew disputed the Russian account, saying they were at a safe distance and had not received radio warnings.
The incident took place outside British territorial waters but close to one of Europe’s most important maritime routes. No injuries or damage were reported, and the yacht later continued its journey to France. HMS Mersey was monitoring the Russian warship at the time, while HMS Tyne provided assistance to the crew of the yacht.
The incident comes after Britain seized a Russian shadow fleet tanker. Russian warships, including the Admiral Grigorovich, have repeatedly traversed the Channel in recent months, including while escorting Russian shadow fleet vessels.
The British Ministry of Defence said it was treating the warning shots as an isolated incident. However, the episode has prompted renewed calls in Britain for higher defence spending and a tougher posture against Russia. Tan Dhesi, the chair of the House of Commons Defence Committee, said Russia remains the most direct and pressing threat to the UK and argued that Britain must move faster to increase defence spending.
In a brief statement the EPP said that Russian provocations in Europe should be met with tougher actions.
Newsroom
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