RFA Tideforce, as seen in the background, monitors the Russian frigate Admiral Grigorovich in an unknown location in this handout image dated June 4, 2026 . UK MOD © Crown copyright 2026/Royal Navy/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY MANDATORY CREDIT
EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France, June 17 (Reuters) – British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Wednesday the firing of warning shots by a Russian frigate to divert a UK-flagged civilian yacht near British territorial waters was reckless and deeply concerning.
The incident occurred on Tuesday, according to statements from the defence ministries of Britain and Russia. They said the firing was designed to prevent a collision after unsuccessful attempts by the Admiral Grigorovich to contact the yacht.
“What happened in the Channel was deeply concerning. It was reckless,” Starmer, who is in France for the G7 summit, told BBC News. He said the Ministry of Defence’s assessment was that the Russian vessel was “drifting, and they were warning shots”.
“That shouldn’t have happened. It is reckless, and the couple on the yacht must’ve been terrified.”
The Russian ministry said on Tuesday the crew of the frigate spotted a yacht travelling on a course that risked collision with the ship.
After repeated attempts to establish radio contact failed, the frigate fired warning shots, including small arms fire, ahead of the yacht, the ministry said. It said the yacht then altered course and moved away.
Britain’s defence ministry described it as “an isolated incident” and not linked to the interception of a Russian shadow fleet vessel ?intercepted by British commandos over the weekend.
(Reporting by Isabel Infantes and Muvija M; Editing by Kate Holton)
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2026.
This article contains reporting from Reuters, published under license.
Sign up for gCaptain’s newsletter and never miss an update
Essential maritime and offshore news, insights, and updates delivered daily straight to your inbox
The burnt-out Russian LNG carrier Arctic Metagaz has been anchored off Libya’s eastern coast, potentially ending a two-month drift across the central Mediterranean, though uncertainty remains over how authorities will handle the stricken vessel.
Libya has resumed salvage operations on the stricken Russian LNG carrier Arctic Metagaz, deploying naval assets and divers as the International Maritime Organization (IMO) confirmed it is closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with regional partners.
A Russian cargo ship carrying grain sank in the Sea of Azov on April 5 after what Russian officials said was a Ukrainian drone attack, in the latest escalation of Kyiv’s campaign against Moscow’s maritime logistics.
Subscribe to gCaptain Daily and stay informed with the latest global maritime and offshore news
Essential news coupled with the finest maritime content sourced from across the globe.
Sign Up
Join The Club
