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

At around 11:40am BST on Tuesday, a Russian frigate, the Admiral Grigorovich, fired warning shots at a small, motor‑less yacht that had drifted toward the vessel in foggy conditions between the Isle of Wight and Normandy.

According to the yacht’s occupants, the shots came from about 500 yards (457 metres) – a relatively close distance by sea‑traffic standards – and there were no injuries or damage reported.

A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said the UK is investigating the incident. The vessel that fired the shots is being monitored by Royal Navy ships such as HMS Mersey and HMS Tyne, as part of daily surveillance of Russian warships that traverse the Channel.

The Admiral Grigorovich has been linked to a recent Russian “shadow fleet” operation that intercepted a sanctioned oil tanker in the Channel. The two events are not considered directly connected, according to UK officials.

Satellite imagery shows the frigate has been supplied by a repair vessel, the PM‑82, which reportedly delivers food, water and other supplies to keep the ship at sea for extended periods. In April the frigate escorted six shadow‑fleet vessels while being watched by the Royal Navy.

The incident comes amid heightened tensions between Britain and Russia over the former’s support for Ukraine, with Royal Navy vessels maintaining a routine presence in the area.