Russian warship opens fire on British yacht in English Channel

Russian warship opens fire on British yacht in English Channel A Russian warship fired a warning shot at a UK-registered yacht that came close to it in the English Channel, it is understood A Russian warship has fired a warning shot at a British yacht that came close to it in the English Channel, it is understood. The incident happened at around 11.40am on Tuesday in waters between the Isle of Wight and Normandy, the Press Association reports. It is understood to have involved the Russian frigate Admiral Grigorovich and a UK-registered yacht, which is believed to be a civilian vessel. Those on board the British yacht contacted French authorities, alleging that the Russian Navy vessel fired a warning shot at a distance of around 500 yards. British and French ships are reportedly mobilising in response. A Ministry of Defence (MoD) spokesperson said: "We are investigating reports of an incident in the Channel." No injuries or damage have been reported by the yacht, which is understood to be continuing its journey. The MoD spokesperson said the Portsmouth-based patrol ship HMS Mersey was monitoring the Russian frigate at the time of the incident. It comes amid rising tensions between the UK and Russia. In a separate operation on Sunday, Royal Marine commandos and officers from the National Crime Agency (NCA) boarded the sanctioned Russian shadow fleet tanker MV Smyrtos in the channel. The MoD is not treating this latest incident as linked to the UK’s interception of the MV Smyrtos. This is a Breaking News story. You’ll be more likely to see our stories when any big news breaks in future by simply by clicking this link. You can also join The Mirror’s WhatsApp Community or follow us on Google News, Flipboard, Apple News, TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads - or visit The Mirror homepage.