Could the incident be linked to recent UK actions against Russian vessels?

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The Incident on the Channel May Indicate a Russian Response to Recent UK Actions Against Russian Vessels

A Russian warship, the frigate Admiral Grigorovich, fired warning shots at a UK-registered yacht approximately 20 nautical miles south of the Isle of Wight. While the UK defence ministry stated the shots were not aimed at the vessel and were an attempt to prevent a potential collision, a Russian defence ministry statement claimed the yacht made a "dangerous approach" and continued despite warning signals and shots. This event occurred shortly after UK commandos intercepted and boarded a suspected Russian "shadow fleet" vessel in the same vicinity. Although the UK defence ministry described the warning shot incident as "isolated" and not linked to the previous day's interception, one expert suggested it could be Russia "baring their teeth" in response to the Royal Marines seizing a Russian ship.
Warning Shots Fired Near Isle of Wight

The incident involved the Russian frigate Admiral Grigorovich firing warning shots at a UK-registered yacht. This occurred around 20 nautical miles south of the Isle of Wight, placing it just outside British territorial waters. The yacht reported that the warning shots were fired at a distance of approximately 500 yards. Fortunately, no injuries or damage were reported by the yacht, which continued its journey after a welfare check by a British naval vessel.
Divergent Accounts of the Encounter

There were differing accounts of the events leading to the warning shots. The UK defence ministry indicated that the shots were "not aimed at the vessel" and were intended to prevent a possible collision. Conversely, the Russian defence ministry stated that the yacht made a "dangerous approach" and persisted despite warning signals and warning shots fired from the frigate's small arms. The Russian statement also mentioned that signal flares and audible signals were used to attract the yacht's attention.
Context of Shadow Fleet Interdiction

This encounter took place shortly after UK commandos intercepted and boarded the oil tanker Smyrtos, a vessel suspected of being part of Russia’s “shadow fleet.” This operation, which involved commandos fast-roping from a helicopter in the dark, was seen as a blow to Moscow's war efforts. The captain of the Smyrtos, Ajay Pant, was subsequently charged with contravening UK sanctions imposed on Russia.
Expert Suggests Potential Retaliatory Action

An associate fellow at RUSI, a retired British navy commodore, suggested that the warning shots could represent a Russian response to recent actions by the UK. He posited that in the context of the Royal Marines seizing a Russian ship, the incident might be interpreted as the Russians "baring their teeth." It is understood that another British naval vessel, HMS Mersey, was monitoring the Russian ship at the time of the warning shot incident.

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Could the incident be linked to recent UK actions against Russian vessels?

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