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Starmer slams Russian warship's ‘reckless’ warning shots in English Channel
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Starmer slams Russian warship's ‘reckless’ warning shots in English Channel

France 24 · Jun 17, 2026, 8:39 AM · Also reported by 4 other sources

Key takeaways

  • The decision by a Russian warship to fire warning shots near a British yacht in the English Channel on Tuesday was "reckless", UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Wednesday.
  • By: FRANCE 24 The British Royal Navy's HMS Mersey tracks the Russian Navy's Admiral Grigorovich frigate and Krasnodar submarine at an unknown location, in this undated handout image.
  • The incident ​occurred ‌on Tuesday, according to statements from ⁠the defence ministries of Britain and Russia.

Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.

The decision by a Russian warship to fire warning shots near a British yacht in the English Channel on Tuesday was "reckless", UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Wednesday. The British defence ministry described it as an "isolated incident" with no suspected link to the boarding by British commandos of an oil tanker suspected of belonging to Russia's shadow fleet over the weekend.

By: FRANCE 24 The British Royal Navy's HMS Mersey tracks the Russian Navy's Admiral Grigorovich frigate and Krasnodar submarine at an unknown location, in this undated handout image. © UK MOD, Royal Navy handout via Reuters 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.

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