Vladimir Putin faced humiliation after Russia was mocked for what Ukrainians described as 'going to war with British pensioners' following an incident in the English Channel. A Russian frigate fired warning shots near a yacht owned by a British couple in their 70s, drawing widespread ridicule online.
Incident Details
The Russian warship Admiral Grigorovich fired warning shots near the UK-registered yacht Bright Future on Tuesday amid foggy conditions. The yacht was sailed by Alan Kelvey, 71, and his wife Jane, 69. No injuries or damages were reported, and the yacht continued its journey.
Ukrainian Telegram channel Pravda Gerashchenko mocked the incident, stating: 'It seems the Russian fleet has finally found an enemy it is not afraid to list as a threat to national security.'
Ukrainian Reaction
Ukraine, which has depleted Russian naval firepower in the Black Sea, believes Putin's sea power is overhyped. Leading TV presenter Dmitry Gordon questioned Russia's explanation, sarcastically noting: 'A sailing yacht tried to ram a military frigate. Very convincing!'
The Nexta channel challenged an early report from Russian military outlet Fighterbomber that claimed the Admiral Grigorovich fired to prevent an attempt by two British warships to seize an escorted vessel. Showing a picture of the Bright Future, the channel said: 'This is what the yacht threatened by the Russian frigate in the English Channel looks like. The vessel belongs to British pensioners. The Z crowd overhyped it.'
Russian Diplomacy
Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for Putin's foreign ministry, joked that Russia could sail the Admiral Grigorovich up the Moscow River past the British Embassy. Showing a map of Moscow, she said: 'Would Admiral Grigorovich be returning home by this route? Just asking in advance, in case the British embassy fancies another dangerous close encounter.'
