Overview
- The British-registered yacht said the frigate Admiral Grigorovich fired warning shots about 20 nautical miles south of the Isle of Wight on Tuesday while Royal Navy ships tracked the Russian vessel.
- The Ministry of Defence confirmed it is investigating the report and said there were no injuries or damage to the yacht.
- The Royal Navy says HMS Mersey and HMW Tyne were monitoring the Russian ship, which had been followed closely since the weekend.
- British forces boarded and detained a sanctioned tanker in the Channel two days earlier, but officials say they have found no link between that operation and the yacht allegation.
- Russian warships regularly transit the Channel and are routinely shadowed by the Royal Navy, a pattern that makes any use of warning shots a sensitive issue for rules of engagement and safety at sea.