UNIPA News(London) 17 June-British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has described as “reckless” the warning shots fired by the Russian warship Admiral Grigorovich at a British civilian yacht in the English Channel, following an incident that drew responses from both London and Moscow.
Speaking during a visit to France for the G7 summit, Starmer said the episode was “deeply concerning” and cited an assessment by the UK Ministry of Defence indicating that the Russian vessel had been drifting before firing warning shots.
The incident took place on Tuesday, according to statements released by the defence ministries of the United Kingdom and Russia. Both sides said the shots were fired in an effort to prevent a collision after attempts by the Russian frigate to establish contact with the yacht reportedly failed.
Starmer reiterated the UK government’s concern over the circumstances surrounding the encounter, emphasizing that the actions taken by the Russian vessel raised serious questions about maritime safety in one of the world’s busiest waterways.
Neither side reported casualties or significant damage resulting from the incident. Authorities in both countries have provided differing assessments of the events leading up to the firing of the warning shots.
The English Channel remains a strategically important maritime route, and incidents involving military and civilian vessels are closely monitored by regional authorities.
