Warning: "Admiral Grigorovich" fired at the British yacht

The Russian frigate Admiral Grigorovich fired warning shots at a British yacht in the English Channel today, June 16, The Telegraph reports.

"The Coast Guard received messages from a civilian vessel flying the British flag, located near the Russian frigate Admiral Grigorovich. The British vessel reported that the Grigorovich fired warning shots after the two vessels approached each other in the English Channel at about 11.40,"the report said.

It is specified that the incident occurred about 20 nautical miles south of the Isle of Wight, outside the territorial waters of Great Britain. There were no reports of casualties or damage, the yacht continued its journey through the English Channel.

Military sources said the incident was not related to the UK's decision to seize the Smirtos oil tanker, the newspaper added.

The British newspaper Metro reported in early May that the Royal Navy has been tracking the Admiral Grigorovich ship for a month. He was looked after by the patrol ships HMS Tyne, HMS Mersey and HMS Severn.

"There was not a single day last month that a Russian warship, its auxiliary vessels or the ships it was supposed to accompany were not under close surveillance by the air or sea power of the Royal Navy," the Navy spokesman said.

It is noted that the Admiral Grigorovich cruised between the North Sea and the Western Approaches, escorting vessels under the Russian flag heading to the Atlantic, the Mediterranean Sea and the Baltic. During the month, the frigate escorted "one submarine and about six merchant and auxiliary vessels." The frigate also stopped to refuel and take on supplies near key national infrastructure, including the Galloper wind farm off the Suffolk coast.

Earlier, the British media wrote that Russian President Vladimir Putin sent the frigate Admiral Grigorovich to the English Channel to escort the ships of the "shadow fleet".