United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer has strongly criticized an incident in which a Russian frigate fired warning shots at a British-flagged yacht in the English Channel. The event has drawn significant attention to maritime safety protocols in international waters.
According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, citing reports from the BBC, Prime Minister Starmer addressed the situation while speaking to journalists on June 17 on the sidelines of the G7 summit held in France. He characterized the actions of the Russian vessel as "deeply concerning."
"This should not have happened. It was reckless, and the couple on the yacht must have been terrified," the Prime Minister stated.
Jane Kelvin, who was aboard the British yacht "Bright Future" with her husband Alan at the time of the incident, stated that there was no risk of collision between the two vessels. According to her account, the Russian warship fired five shots, then changed course and fired again. Kelvin described the actions as entirely unnecessary given the circumstances.
In response, a spokesperson for the UK Ministry of Defense clarified that the shots were not directed at the yacht but were intended to prevent a potential collision. The Ministry confirmed that an investigation is underway, noting that the event is currently being treated as an isolated incident.
Previously, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported that on June 16 at 12:45, the crew of the frigate "Admiral Grigorovich" fired warning shots at the civilian yacht "Bright Future" in the English Channel. The Russian side claimed the yacht failed to respond to warning signals and approached the warship at a dangerous distance.
The English Channel is one of the world's busiest shipping lanes, and incidents involving military vessels and civilian craft in these waters are rare, often leading to immediate diplomatic scrutiny and calls for adherence to international maritime safety regulations.
