A British couple whose yacht was fired upon by a Russian warship in the English Channel have accused the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of attempting to suppress their account of the incident. Jane Kelvey, 71, and her husband Alan, 70, were aboard their 40-foot British-flagged vessel, the Bright Future, when warning shots were discharged by sailors on the frigate Admiral Grigorovich at approximately 11:40 a.m. on Tuesday.
Couple Disputes Official Account
The MoD has stated that the shots were a warning after the yacht approached too close to the frigate, and that the warship’s crew attempted to contact the Kelveys via radio. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described the event as 'reckless' but not 'sinister'. However, Mr. Kelvey has contested this narrative. He told The Telegraph: 'The MoD are saying they got us on the radio. Our radio, we were right next to it. It didn’t come on our radio.'
Mr. Kelvey further accused the MoD of trying to 'close the story down', claiming officials said it was foggy and flares were used. He insisted there was no fog and both vessels could see each other clearly. When asked why the MoD might downplay the incident, he responded: 'It’s inflammatory, isn’t it?'
Details of the Incident
The couple had departed from Lymington, Hampshire, at 4 a.m. on Tuesday, heading to Cherbourg, France, when the shots were fired about 20 nautical miles south of the Isle of Wight, outside UK territorial waters. The Russian Defence Ministry claimed the yacht was on a 'dangerous course' and that the Admiral Grigorovich had made several attempts to contact it using flares and sound signals before firing warning shots 'in strict accordance' with shipping regulations.
This incident occurs amid heightened tensions between Britain and Russia following the seizure of the shadow fleet oil tanker Smyrtos on Sunday. The Admiral Grigorovich, which has previously escorted sanctioned vessels through the Channel, was being monitored by the patrol ship HMS Mersey at the time.
Government Response
Speaking at the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, Sir Keir Starmer said the incident 'shouldn’t have happened' and described it as 'reckless', but reiterated the MoD’s assessment that the warship was drifting. A Downing Street spokeswoman, when asked about the couple’s claims, pointed to the MoD’s view that it was an 'isolated event', adding that the UK is willing to 'stand up to Russia' as demonstrated by the interception of a shadow fleet vessel over the weekend.
