International-News

Russian warship fires warning shots near British yacht in the Channel

Warning shots from a Russian frigate reportedly landed within 500 meters of a British yacht in the English Channel, prompting a UK investigation into the incident

Warning shots fired by the Russian frigate Admiral Grigorovich reportedly exploded less than 500 meters from a British yacht sailing in the English Channel, about 30 kilometers south of the Isle of Wight.

The UK Ministry of Defence confirmed it has opened an investigation into the incident. According to The Guardian, the yacht was not damaged and no crew members were injured. The vessel continued its course after the episode.

A Royal Navy unit deployed from HMS Tyne reached the yacht shortly afterward to collect witness accounts and assess the condition of those on board.

“We are working to establish the facts surrounding an incident in the Channel,” a Ministry of Defence spokesperson said.

British defence sources, however, stressed that the episode is currently being treated as an isolated case and is not believed to be linked to recent UK operations targeting Russian interests.

The incident comes just days after British forces seized the tanker Smyrtos off the Isle of Wight. The vessel is reportedly linked to Russia and subject to Western sanctions, marking the first operation directly led by UK forces against a sanctioned ship since the start of the war in Ukraine.

The proximity of the warning shots has raised concerns about the risk of escalation in one of Europe’s busiest maritime corridors, even as officials on both sides move to contain the diplomatic impact.

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