Why a Russian warship fired at a UK-flagged yacht in English Channel

2 min readUpdated: Jun 17, 2026 09:04 AM IST

In this photo provided by the Royal Navy, Royal Marine Commandos detain sanctioned tanker, the Smyrtos, in the English Channel, Sunday, June 14, 2026. (Photo: /Royal Navy via AP)

A Russian warship Tuesday fired a few warning shots at a UK-flagged yacht in the English Channel, CNN reported. The incident took place 32 kilometres south of the Isle of Wight, outside the UK’s territorial waters.

The high-end civilian watercraft did not report any damage or injury and is continuing its journey further.

But why was the yacht fired at?

The Russian defence ministry said that the yacht appeared to be moving on a collision course. In a statement, the ministry described that the crew of a Russian military ship saw the yacht Bright Future and identified that it was. “on a dangerous course” that could soon lead it into “proximity” of the warship.

They tried to contact the yacht’s crew using radio signals, but those remained unanswered as the vessel continued on the same route.

When the yacht was just 150 metres away from the warship, the Russian crew resorted to signal flares to attract its attention. The Russian commander “decided to open warning fire along the vessel’s course using the ship’s small arms”, the Russian defence ministry said. Following this, the yacht changed its course.

“The crew of the frigate ‘Admiral Grigorovich’ acted in strict accordance with international maritime regulations and took all necessary measures to prevent an incident,” CNN quoted Russia’s defense ministry as saying.

The UK defence ministry also confirmed that the shots fired were not aimed at the yacht but were “an attempt to prevent a possible collision”.

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As Russian warships pass through the English Channel, their movements are regularly monitored by the UK authorities.

The incident comes two days after the UK military intercepted a Russia-linked oil tanker in the English Channel, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said. However, the officials do not see any connection between the two events.

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