Russian Warship Fires Warning Shots at British Yacht in Channel
British authorities are investigating reports that Russian warship Admiral Grigorovich fired warning shots at a UK-flagged yacht in the English Channel near the Isle of Wight on Tuesday.
The UK Ministry of Defence confirmed it is examining reports that the Russian frigate Admiral Grigorovich discharged weapons toward the civilian vessel in what would mark the most direct confrontation by a foreign warship in British coastal waters in many years.
The yacht was reportedly struck by warning fire while positioned approximately 500 yards from the Russian frigate, though no injuries or material damage were sustained, as Breitbart News reports. The incident occurred roughly 20 nautical miles south of the Isle of Wight, placing it squarely within Britain’s Exclusive Economic Zone.
Due to the narrow width of the English Channel, no international waters exist in the passage, with British and French maritime jurisdictions meeting at the waterway’s midpoint. The Channel operates under a traffic separation scheme designed to prevent collisions among the heavy commercial and military traffic that makes it one of the world’s busiest maritime corridors.
British offshore patrol vessel HMS Mersey was shadowing the Admiral Grigorovich at the time of the alleged firing. Sailors from the Mersey boarded the yacht following the incident to interview crew members and inspect for potential damage.
The Ministry of Defence issued a brief statement confirming an investigation into reports of an incident in the Channel but declined further comment pending the outcome of that probe. Russian authorities have not publicly addressed Tuesday’s events.
The Admiral Grigorovich has maintained a presence in and around British waters for several months, actively escorting Russian tankers through the North Sea, Western Approaches, and English Channel. In May, the commanding officer of HMS Mersey stated that monitoring the movements of the Russian frigate and ensuring the integrity of British waters remained a top operational priority.
The alleged live-fire incident comes just days after the United Kingdom interdicted a Russian shadow fleet tanker in the Channel. Royal Marines boarded the vessel by speed-roping from helicopters on Sunday in the first known British boarding operation against a Russian tanker.
With information from Breitbart News
