Prime Minister Keir Starmer has strongly criticised the firing of warning shots by a Russian warship in the English Channel, describing the incident as "deeply concerning and reckless". Speaking from the G7 summit, Mr Starmer also warned that the UK is contending with daily 'proxy attacks' from Russia.
The incident, which took place at approximately 11:40 GMT on Tuesday, involved the Russian warship Admiral Grigorovich and a British pleasure yacht identified as the 'Bright Future'. According to the Ministry of Defence, the Russian vessel fired warning shots after the yacht sailed close to the frigate, more than 20 miles south of the Isle of Wight and less than 40 miles north of Normandy, France. Initial reports from British sources suggest multiple shots were fired after the yacht approached the heavily armed vessel and reportedly ignored at least one warning.
Russia's defence ministry subsequently stated that the yacht was on a "dangerous course" and that several attempts were made to establish contact. They reported firing signal rockets before a warning shot was discharged when the yacht came within 150 metres. The Ministry of Defence in the UK confirmed that the shots were not aimed at the vessel but were an attempt to prevent a possible collision, following attempts to communicate with the British yacht.
Mr Starmer, addressing the incident while at the G7 in Évian-les-Bains, France, told the BBC that it "shouldn't have happened". He expressed sympathy for the individuals on board the yacht, stating, "It is reckless, and the couple of the yacht must be terrified, and I think everybody will feel for them as I do." The Prime Minister underscored the broader context of an "aggressive" Russia, noting, "We’re in the fifth year of the conflict in Ukraine, we’re discussing that here at the G7, and we know that both Russia and Iran are responsible for proxy attacks in the United Kingdom and across Europe, and we have to be alert to that."
He further elaborated on the daily nature of these threats, stating, "We’re dealing with that every single day, they take different forms, but that is the Russia that we are dealing with." Mr Starmer recently commented on a separate incident, an arson attack targeting his home, for which two men were found guilty of conspiracy. While he sought to keep the two incidents distinct, he acknowledged the impact on his family and alluded to the online handler with links to Russia who instructed the perpetrators. The Prime Minister affirmed the UK's commitment at the G7 to support Ukraine, including providing hundreds of millions of pounds' worth of energy support and imposing further sanctions to "choke off" Russian revenue.
Source: Prime Minister's Office, Ministry of Defence, BBC