A Russian frigate fired warning shots at a UK‑registered yacht in the English Channel on Tuesday, about 20 nautical miles south of the Isle of Wight, outside British territorial waters.
The incident, occurring around 11:40am BST, involved the Admiral Grigorovich, a Soviet‑era frigate that has been observed passing through the Channel for a long time.
The yacht, a small motor‑less vessel that had drifted in foggy conditions, caused concern for the warship when it appeared to approach too close. An audible warning was issued before the frigate fired three warning shots from roughly 500 yards (457 m) away.
No injuries or damage to the yacht have been reported, and the vessel’s occupants say it moved away after the warning.
The UK Ministry of Defence says it is investigating the incident, treating it as an isolated event that is not linked to the Royal Marine operation that intercepted a Russian shadow‑fleet tanker earlier this week.
The Admiral Grigorovich had been under observation by Royal Navy ships HMS Mersey and HMS Tyne during a routine operation after it was spotted off Brest, France.
NATO officials have reported that the frigate was ordered by Moscow to escort shadow fleet vessels through the Channel, providing a fleet of repair and resupply vessels to keep it at sea for extended periods.
Satellite imagery shows a repair vessel, PM‑82, operating between the Channel and the North Sea, delivering supplies such as food and water to the Admiral Grigorovich, enabling it to lead convoys through the waterway.
The incident occurs amid heightened tensions between Russia and the UK over the UK’s support for Ukraine, although officials say it does not appear to be part of the broader military engagement of the week.
