Warning shots in the English Channel – as an extreme response measure by the crew of the frigate "Admiral Grigorovich" – were legally and technically permissible under international maritime rules, according to Captain 1st Rank (retired) Vasily Dandykin.

The expert emphasized that in conditions where a vessel ignores radio contact, signals, and visual warnings, the priority remains preventing a collision. In such scenarios, international navigation rules allow the use of extreme measures if there is an immediate threat to the safety of ships.

According to his assessment, the logic of the frigate crew's actions complies with the requirements of the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972: each vessel is obliged to take all possible steps to prevent an accident, and in the absence of a response from the other party, a transition to more stringent measures is permissible.

Dandykin noted that the sequence of actions – from attempts at radio communication and signaling to warning shots – reflects the standard escalation of safety measures in maritime practice when there is a risk of collision.