A British couple whose yacht was targeted with warning shots from a Russian warship in the English Channel have accused the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of attempting to “close down” their story. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described the incident on Tuesday as “reckless” but not “sinister”.
Incident Details
The frigate Admiral Grigorovich fired several warning shots near the yacht Bright Future, crewed by Jane and Alan Kelvey. The MoD assessed that the shots were intended as a warning after the yacht came too close to the frigate, following failed radio contact attempts.
However, Mr Kelvey disputed this account, telling 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.” He added: “They’re trying to close the story down now, saying that it was foggy and they were shooting flares up. It’s rubbish.”
Visibility and Flares
Mr Kelvey, 70, denied any visibility issues, stating he and his wife could see the Russian vessel “clearly”. He also claimed they saw no flares. When asked why the MoD might downplay the event, he said: “It’s inflammatory, isn’t it?”
Russian Account
The Russian defence ministry claimed the yacht was following a “dangerous course” and that the Admiral Grigorovich used flares and sounded signals before firing warning shots “in strict accordance” with shipping regulations.
The incident occurred outside UK territorial waters south of the Isle of Wight, amid heightened tensions after Britain seized 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.
Prime Minister's Response
Speaking at the G7 summit in Evian, France, Sir Keir Starmer said the incident “shouldn’t have happened”. He stated: “I think it’s reckless, but it does look as if the MoD assessment is it was drifting, and that’s what it is.” He added: “The incident in the Channel… (the) MoD assessment is that it was actually a drifting warship, rather than anything more sinister.”
Downing Street Reaction
A Downing Street spokeswoman pointed to the MoD’s assessment that it was an isolated event, referencing the Prime Minister’s description of it as “concerning” and “reckless”. She ruled out summoning the Russian ambassador, noting that HMS Mersey was shadowing the ship and that the UK has shown willingness to stand up to Russia, as demonstrated by the interception of a Russian shadow fleet vessel over the weekend.
