A British couple onboard their yacht in the English Channel claimed that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) is trying to suppress their account after their vessel was confronted with warning shots from a Russian warship.

Jane Kelvey, 68, and her husband Alan, 70, were sailing on their 40ft British-flagged yacht, Bright Future, when sailors aboard the frigate Admiral Grigorovich fired warning shots near them around 11:40 am on Tuesday. The MoD stated that the shots were a cautionary measure as the yacht approached the frigate, with attempts made to communicate with the couple via radio. The Prime Minister labeled the incident as “reckless” but not “sinister.”

Mr. Kelvey disputed the MoD’s explanation, claiming that they did not receive any radio communication despite the MoD’s assertion. He refuted the MoD’s account that flares were used due to foggy conditions, insisting that visibility was clear, and both vessels were visible to each other.

The couple had departed from Lymington, Hampshire, bound for Cherbourg in France when the incident occurred about 20 nautical miles south of the Isle of Wight, beyond UK territorial waters. The Russian Defence Ministry alleged that the yacht was on a hazardous course and that the Admiral Grigorovich attempted to contact it through flares and sound signals before resorting to warning shots, following maritime regulations.

This event adds to the escalating tensions between Britain and Russia, coinciding with the recent seizure of the shadow fleet oil tanker Smyrtos. The Admiral Grigorovich, known for accompanying sanctioned vessels through the Channel, was under surveillance by the patrol ship HMS Mersey during the incident.

Speaking from the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, Sir Keir Starmer expressed disapproval of the incident, attributing it to a drifting warship based on the MoD’s assessment. Despite the couple’s claims of the MoD suppressing their story, a Downing Street spokeswoman referred to it as an “isolated event,” emphasizing the UK’s readiness to address Russian provocations when necessary.