The Ministry of Defence is investigating reports that a Russian frigate, the Admiral Grigorovich, fired warning shots on Tuesday morning within 500 metres of a British yacht sailing a little over 20 miles south of the Isle of Wight.
No injuries or damage have been reported by the yacht, a pleasure boat, which continued its journey. A boat from HMS Tyne, a patrol vessel, has visited the yacht to gather details and check the crew are safe.
The incident came just days after the UK seized a Russia-linked oil tanker, the Smyrtos, off the coast of the Isle of Wight, the first time British forces have led the seizure of a sanctioned vessel since the start of the war against Ukraine.
