‘We had right of way’: when British fair play met Russian firepower off the Isle of Wight

“We actually had right of way,” said Jane Kelvey, a little crossly, though keeping it civil. “But we weren’t going to argue with a warship.” The dramatic standoff in the Channel on Tuesday morning between Admiral Grigorovich, a 125-metre (409ft) battle-hardened Russian frigate, and Bright Future, a 12-metre (40ft) pleasure yacht owned and helmed by Jane, 69, and her husband, Alan, 71, has rather caught the nation’s imagination. It was a David and Goliath clash on the high seas, and one with some irresistible ingredients: a seemingly savage Russian foe meeting middle England’s implacable conviction in its own common sense – even if the couple ultimately beat a hasty and sensible retreat. As with so much in the British national story at the moment, it had the advantage for some in the British media that it also ended up making Keir Starmer look a bit bad. Why did Russian warship fire warning shots in the Channel? – The Latest The Ministry of Defence has let it be known that it regards the matter – involving no less than warning shots being fired by the Russian warship just 20 nautical miles from the Isle of Wight – as a mere “nautical incident” for which the fault can most justifiably be said to lie in the foggy weather, and perhaps some dodgy sailing. The Kelveys are insistent that the government is letting the Kremlin off the hook – not quite getting away with murder, but with a damned cheek. …