UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has criticised the crew of a Russian naval vessel after warning shots were fired near a British yacht in the English Channel, describing the incident as “reckless” and “deeply concerning”.
Speaking during the G7 summit in France, Starmer said the incident involving the Russian frigate Admiral Grigorovich should not have happened.
“That shouldn’t have happened. It is reckless, and the couple on the yacht must have been terrified,” he said.
British sailors say gunfire was unnecessary
The incident involved the UK-flagged yacht Bright Future, which was sailing in international waters in the English Channel.
Passenger Jane Kelvey told media outlets that she and her husband Alan did not believe their vessel posed any danger to the Russian ship.
According to her account, the Russian vessel sounded its horn five times, a maritime signal meaning “have you seen us?” She said the yacht then altered course slightly to indicate they had acknowledged the warship’s presence.
However, shortly afterwards, warning shots were reportedly fired.
Kelvey described the gunfire as “completely unnecessary”, saying the vessels had not appeared to be on a collision course.
Russia says safety measures were followed
Russia’s Ministry of Defence said the crew fired warning shots several hundred yards in front of the yacht after concluding that it was approaching on a dangerous course.
According to the ministry, radio attempts to contact the yacht went unanswered, and signal flares were also deployed before warning fire was used.
Russian authorities said the frigate’s crew acted according to international maritime regulations and took necessary measures to avoid an incident.
UK monitoring Russian naval activity
A spokesperson for the UK Ministry of Defence said the shots were not aimed directly at the British vessel but were intended to prevent a possible collision.
Starmer echoed that assessment, saying the ministry’s review suggested the Russian vessel had been drifting and the shots were intended as warnings.
The incident occurred approximately 20 miles south of the Isle of Wight, outside UK territorial waters.
British authorities routinely monitor Russian naval activity passing through the English Channel, one of the world’s busiest maritime routes.
Also read: G7 leaders pledge stronger support for Ukraine
For more videos and updates, check out our YouTube channel
