Why did a Russian frigate fire warning shots and what can the UK do about it?
Russia may have violated UN convention on the law of the sea but says it took ‘all measures to prevent the incident’
TL;DR
- A Russian frigate fired warning shots at a British-flagged yacht in the English Channel.
- The incident occurred outside UK territorial waters but within its exclusive economic zone.
- The UK Ministry of Defence is investigating the events, while the Russian defence ministry claims it took 'all measures to prevent the incident'.
- The Russian warship, Admiral Grigorovich, possesses sovereign immunity, limiting the UK's enforcement options to diplomatic remedies.
- The incident is viewed in the context of heightened diplomatic tensions between the UK and Russia, following a recent operation involving a sanctioned Russian tanker.