- A retired British couple, Jane and Alan Kelvey, described the experience of having warning shots fired near their yacht by a Russian warship in the English Channel as "surreal".
- The couple was sailing 23 miles (37km) off the Isle of Wight in international waters when they encountered the Russian frigate, the Admiral Grigorovich.
- Sir Keir Starmer criticized the incident, calling the firing of shots into the path of a UK-registered yacht "reckless".
- The Russian Defence Ministry claimed the yacht was on a dangerous approach towards the warship, but the couple insisted they were not on a collision course.
- Jane Kelvey recounted that the warship signaled them with five horn blasts before firing warning shots, which they believed were not aimed at them.
- British authorities reported that the yacht was approximately 500 yards (457m) away when the Russian vessel fired warning shots.
- UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer criticized the “reckless” crew of a Russian warship that fired warning shots at a yacht in the English Channel, calling the incident “deeply concerning.”
- Starmer stated, “That shouldn’t have happened. It is reckless, and the couple on the yacht must’ve been terrified.”
- Jane Kelvey, on board the yacht Bright Future, said the two vessels were “definitely not on a collision course.”
- Kelvey reported that the Russian vessel fired warning shots after giving five blasts on their horn, stating the gunfire was “completely unnecessary.”
- Starmer confirmed the Defense Ministry's assessment that the Russian vessel had been “drifting, and they were warning shots.”
- The incident occurred 20 miles (32 kilometers) south of the Isle of Wight, outside UK territorial waters.
A retired British couple, Jane and Alan Kelvey, described their encounter with the Russian frigate Admiral Grigorovich as surreal after warning shots were fired near their yacht, Bright Future, in the English Channel.1211
The incident occurred 20 miles south of the Isle of Wight, outside UK territorial waters, as the couple sailed towards France.
The Russian Defence Ministry claimed the yacht was on a "dangerous approach," but the Kelveys insisted they were "not on a collision course."4
Jane Kelvey recounted, "[The warship] gave out five blasts on their horn... We immediately turned two degrees to port... Then a minute or so later they gave another five blasts... followed by four to five small arms fire."12
The UK Ministry of Defence stated the shots were fired to prevent a possible collision, not aimed at the yacht. Starmer criticized the incident as "reckless," emphasizing the couple's fear during the encounter.
Starmer stated, "That shouldn’t have happened. It is reckless, and the couple on the yacht must’ve been terrified."
The couple contacted the UK Coastguard after the incident, and a patrol vessel was dispatched to ensure their safety. Jane expressed concern over the Russian statement, asserting, "We were in no danger. We were not about to collide with them."
The couple hopes the incident does not escalate tensions, with Jane stating, "We just don’t want it blown out of all proportion."
“A retired British couple, Jane and Alan Kelvey, described the experience of having warning shots fired near their yacht by a Russian warship as 'surreal.' UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer criticized the incident, labeling the actions of the Russian crew as 'reckless.'”
BBC
The Guardian