Russian warship fires warning shots near UK-registered yacht in Channel

Russian warship fires warning shots near UK-registered yacht in Channel 28 minutes ago Share Save Add as preferred on Google Rachel Flynn , Matt Murphy , BBC Verify and Paul Adams , diplomatic correspondent Ministry of Defence The incident on Tuesday involved a Russian frigate, the Admiral Grigorovich A Russian warship fired warning shots near a UK-registered yacht in the English Channel on Tuesday morning after the two vessels came into close contact. It involved Russian frigate the Admiral Grigorovich, and happened between the Isle of Wight and Normandy shortly before midday. The Ministry of Defence has described the encounter as an "isolated incident" and not linked to the seizure of a Russian shadow fleet tanker in the Channel on Sunday. The Russian Defence Ministry said the yacht had been on a "dangerous approach" towards the warship, and its crew fired into its path with rifles after making several attempts to contact it over the radio and after launching warning flares. It also said its sailors had acted in "strict accordance with international shipping regulations", while the MoD said it was investigating the incident. A UK government source told BBC News a couple in their 60s were on board the yacht at the time. They said they did not hear when the Russian frigate sounded its horn. No injuries or damage have been reported. The BBC understands that the small, motor-less yacht had drifted towards the warship in foggy conditions after setting off from the UK. British officials believe the Admiral Grigorovich was attempting to signal it was drifting rather than being powered by its engines, therefore making it less manoeuvrable - possibly leading its crew to assess it was more vulnerable to a collision. An MoD spokesperson told the BBC: "Following attempts to contact a British vessel in the channel, the Grigorovich fired warning shots. These were not aimed at the vessel and were an attempt to prevent a possible collision." A boat from HMS Tyne, a British patrol vessel, was sent to the yacht to gather details and check on the safety of the crew. The incident comes days after Royal Marine Commandos intercepted a Russian shadow fleet tanker carrying sanctioned oil in the Channel on Sunday, in the first operation of its kind carried out by the British military. Russian warships regularly pass through the Channel in international waters and are routinely monitored by Royal Navy vessels. Footage shows Putin aboard Russia's Admiral Grigorovich frigate in 2025 The Admiral Grigorovich was being shadowed by the HMS Mersey, as it had been for several day after being spotted off the coast of Brest in France, in what the Royal Navy described as a "routine operation". On Tuesday morning, British authorities received reports from the yacht's occupants that the Russian vessel had fired warning shots from around 500 yards (457 meters) away - a relatively near distance by the standards of sea travel. The incident happened around 20 nautical miles - around 23