Sailors on a Russian warship fired a warning shot at a UK-registered yacht that came near it in the English Channel, ITV News understands.
The incident, which occurred around 11.40am on Tuesday, is understood to have involved the Russian frigate Admiral Grigorovich in the sea between the Isle of White and Normandy.
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: “We are investigating reports of an incident in the Channel.”
It is the latest sign of rising tensions between the UK and Moscow.
In an operation on Sunday, Royal Marine commandos and officers from the National Crime Agency (NCA) boarded the sanctioned Russian shadow fleet tanker Smyrtos in the channel.
In Tuesday’s incident, a UK-registered yacht alleged that the Russian warship fired warning shots nearby at a distance of approximately 500 yards (457 metres).
The shots were fired around 20 nautical miles south of the Isle of Wight, outside UK territorial waters and caused no injuries or damage.
Russian warships passing through the English Channel are routinely shadowed by the Royal Navy, with offshore patrol vessel HMS Mersey monitoring the Admiral Grigorovich on Tuesday.
A seaboat from HMS Tyne, another patrol vessel, was sent to the yacht to gather details and check on the safety of the crew.
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