The Russian frigate Admiral Grigorovich fired a warning shot in the direction of a civilian yacht flying a British flag after it came within about 500 meters (1,640 feet) of the warship in the English Channel, BBC News reported.

The incident occurred around noon between the Isle of Wight and the Normandy coast, according to the Press Association. It was unclear who owned the yacht or why it approached the frigate. No one was injured. The U.K. Defense Ministry said it was investigating reports of the incident.

Russia’s Defense Ministry later confirmed that the Admiral Grigorovich fired warning shots at the civilian sailing yacht Bright Future in the English Channel. The ministry said the yacht’s crew sailed dangerously close to the frigate, was unresponsive to communications, and ignored flares and acoustic signals. Russian forces reportedly opened fire when the distance between the vessels narrowed to 150 meters (less than 500 feet), after which the yacht changed course and sailed away. The Defense Ministry insists the crew of the Admiral Grigorovich “acted in strict accordance with international maritime rules and took all necessary measures to prevent an incident.”

On June 14, the United Kingdom intercepted the tanker Smirtos, suspected of belonging to Russia’s shadow fleet. The ship’s captain was formally charged with sanctions evasion. It was the first time since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war that the U.K. had intercepted a tanker linked to Russia.