LONDON – Russian frigate Admiral Grigorovich fired warning shots near a UK-registered yacht in the English Channel early Tuesday to prevent a collision, the BBC reported.

The "small, motorless" yacht drifted towards the warship in foggy conditions around 20 nautical miles (37 km) south of the Isle of Wight, before the frigate sounded an audible warning and fired warning shots, said the report.

The warning shots, not aimed at the vessel, were an attempt to prevent a possible collision, a spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Defence was quoted by the BBC as saying.

The frigate's commander decided to carry out "the preemptive fire" with small arms after closing the distance to 150 meters, the ministry said in a statement on Telegram.

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The crew of the frigate acted in strict compliance with international navigation regulations and took all necessary measures to prevent the incident, it added.  

After this, the yacht immediately changed course and moved away from the Russian warship.