Russian Navy frigate fires 'warning shots' at yacht in the English Channel shortly after Smyrtos incident
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The Royal Navy were reportedly monitoring the Russian frigate at the time of the incident
‘Warning shots’ were fired at a British yacht by a Russian frigate in the English Channel.
The News understands that reports have been made from a UK-registered vessel alleging that a Russian Navy ship fired at them nearby. The shots were fired at a distance of roughly 500 yards.
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Portsmouth-based Royal Navy patrol vessel was reportedly monitoring RFN Admiral Grigorovich at the time. A sea boat from fellow Portsmouth-based ship HMS Tyne visited the yacht to gather details and check on the crew.
No injuries have been reported from the scene, or any damage to the vessel itself. She carried on her journey afterwards. The incident is understood to have taken place roughly 20 nautical miles south of the Isle of Wight, outside of UK territorial waters.
An investigation has been launched and is currently ongoing. The incident happened at roughly 11.40am this morning (June 16). A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: “We are investigating reports of an incident in the Channel.”
The incident is viewed as an isolated incident and not linked to Putin’s shadow fleet ship Smyrtos being intercepted in the English Channel earlier this week. In an operation on Sunday, Royal Marine commandos and officers from the National Crime Agency (NCA) boarded the sanctioned Russian shadow fleet tanker Smyrtos in the channel.
The ship’s Captain, Indian national Ajay Pant, has been charged with directly or indirectly supplying or delivering by ship prohibited oil or oil products from Russia to a third country in June 2026, in contravention of Regulation 46Z9B of the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019. The 38-year-old appeared at Southampton Magistrates’ Court by videolink from Bournemouth police station for a preliminary hearing.
Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge said the incident was “very concerning” and the UK should “be in no doubt that Russia poses a direct threat”.
Liberal Democrat defence spokesman James MacClearly said: “Reports of a Russian warship firing warning shots in the English Channel are deeply concerning. Russia is quite literally on our doorstep. Aggression and intimidation in our waters must not be tolerated.”