A Russian warship fired warning shots at a U.K.-registered pleasure yacht in the English Channel on Tuesday, causing no damage but highlighting heightened tensions between the two countries.
The incident occurred about 20 nautical miles south of the Isle of Wight, outside U.K. territorial waters, and was reported by the yacht's crew.
Russia's Defense Ministry said the crew of the frigate Admiral Grigorovich tried to contact the yacht when it was seen sailing on a 'dangerous course in close proximity with the warship.'
The ship's crew launched flares and issued sound signals when the yacht did not respond, and after the distance had closed to 150 meters, the frigate's commander decided to fire warning shots across the vessel's bow using small arms.
The yacht then changed course and sailed away, and the British military is investigating the incident.
This is not the first time that Russian warships have had close encounters with British vessels in the region, with several incidents reported in recent months.
