Russian Navy Vessel Fires Warning Shots Near U.K. Yacht in English Channel
Britain's Defense Ministry is investigating reports that a Russian warship fired warning shots roughly 500 yards from a U.K.-registered yacht about 20 nautical miles south of the Isle of Wight.
The War Zone-registered yacht in the English Channel. The ministry described the reports as an incident and said the shots were fired roughly 500 yards from the yacht.
Territorial waters. No injuries or damage were reported, and the yacht continued its journey. Officials described the episode as isolated. The same official said a Royal Navy patrol ship was monitoring the Russian vessel at the time.
The Russian Embassy in London did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The reported shooting came two days after British forces boarded a suspected Russian shadow fleet oil tanker in the same stretch of water. On Sunday, Royal Marine Commandos and officers from Britain's National Crime Agency boarded the vessel Smyrtos in a six-hour operation conducted with French authorities.
The tanker is now anchored off Weymouth on England's south coast while investigations continue. Britain and France have pledged to obstruct vessels linked to Russia's shadow fleet that carry sanctioned Russian oil through their waters.
Has sanctioned nearly 600 such vessels, the Defense Ministry said, noting that Russia's oil revenues have fallen 27 percent from October 2024 levels. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the operation delivers yet another blow to Russia and reminds those fueling Putin's war in Ukraine that they cannot hide.
