Russian warship fires warning shots at elderly British couple's yacht near Isle of Wight; couple claims UK trying to hush it up
On June 16, the Russian frigate Admiral Grigorovich fired warning shots at a private yacht in the English Channel, carrying a British couple aged 69 and 71. PM Starmer called it 'reckless' but the couple accuses UK authorities of blaming them to avoid straining Russia relations.
An incident occurred on June 16 in the English Channel, about 40 kilometers from the Isle of Wight, involving a Russian warship and a private yacht. The Russian frigate Admiral Grigorovich fired warning shots at the 12-meter yacht Bright Future, occupied by a British elderly couple: Jane Kelvey, 69, and Alan Kelvey, 71. No one was injured.
According to the couple, they altered course by two degrees upon sighting the warship to indicate they had seen it. However, the Russian vessel sounded five blasts, then fired warning shots. Jane Kelvey said they immediately started the engine and made a sharp 90-degree turn. She maintained the yacht was not on a collision course and that the Russian ship never attempted radio contact.
Russia's Defense Ministry offered a different account, stating that the frigate's crew repeatedly tried to contact the yacht via international radio, fired signal flares, and sounded warnings. Only when the distance closed to 150 meters did they open warning fire. The ministry claimed they acted in strict accordance with international navigation rules.
The UK Defense Ministry emphasized that the shots were not aimed directly at the yacht but were an attempt to prevent a possible collision. Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the Russian actions 'reckless' but unlikely to be 'malicious.' The Kelveys, however, accused the UK of echoing Russia's version and trying to close down the story. Alan Kelvey said officials claim it was foggy and flares were used, which he called 'rubbish.' He suggested the UK wanted to avoid inflaming tensions.
The UK Defense Ministry rejected the accusations. An unnamed military source told The Telegraph that if there were signs of dangerous conduct by Russian forces, London would have given it more attention. The source added that the yacht's initial two-degree turn was probably insufficient.
