Russian warship fires warning shot at boat in English Channel – what we know

WorldPolitics
16 Jun 2026 • 11:51 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Russian warship fires warning shot at boat in English Channel – what we know

  • A Russian warship reportedly fired a warning shot near a UK-registered yacht in the English Channel on Tuesday morning.
  • The incident involved the Russian frigate Admiral Grigorovich, which fired shots approximately 500 yards from the yacht, around 20 nautical miles south of the Isle of Wight.
  • No injuries or damage were reported, and the shots were fired outside UK territorial waters.
  • The Royal Navy's HMS Mersey was shadowing the Russian frigate, and HMS Tyne sent a seaboat to gather details from the yacht's crew.
  • This event follows a recent operation where Royal Marine commandos boarded a sanctioned Russian tanker in the Channel, highlighting rising tensions between the UK and Russia.

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