UK PM Starmer calls Channel incident involving Russian warship 'reckless'

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Wednesday the firing of warning shots by a Russian frigate to divert a UK-flagged civilian yacht near British territorial waters was reckless and deeply concerning.

The incident occurred on ‌Tuesday, according ⁠to ⁠statements from the defence ministries of Britain and Russia. They said the firing was designed to prevent a collision after unsuccessful attempts by the Admiral Grigorovich to contact the yacht.

"What happened in the Channel was deeply ​concerning. It was reckless," Starmer, who ⁠is in ‌France for the G7 summit, ​told BBC News. ​He said the Ministry of Defence's ⁠assessment was that the Russian vessel was "drifting, and ​they were warning shots".


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"That shouldn't have ​happened. It is reckless, and the couple on the yacht must've been terrified."

The Russian ministry said on Tuesday the crew of the frigate spotted a yacht travelling on a course ‌that risked collision with the ship.

After repeated attempts to establish radio contact failed, the frigate ​fired warning ​shots, including ⁠small arms fire, ahead of the yacht, the ministry said. It said the yacht then altered course and moved ​away.

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Britain's defence ministry described it as "an isolated incident" and not linked to the interception of a Russian shadow fleet vessel intercepted by British commandos over the weekend.