A British couple sailing their yacht in the English Channel on June 16 encountered the Russian frigate Admiral Grigorovich about 23 miles off the Isle of Wight. Russia’s defense ministry stated the yacht made a “dangerous approach,” prompting the warship to fire warning shots from roughly 500 yards away. One of the sailors, Jane Kelvey, responded that their vessel was “definitely not on a collision course.” The Royal Navy shadowed the Russian ship, which reportedly was ordered to escort vessels from Moscow’s “shadow fleet” that evades Western oil sanctions imposed after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Maritime experts noted that warships routinely transit the Channel under international passage rights, and that the incident, while unusual, does not indicate escalation.