UK-Russia military communication breakdown

British officials and diplomats fear an unintended maritime escalation with Russia due to a lack of direct military communication. According to The Times, former UK Chief of the Defence Staff Tony Radakin and his successor Rich Knighton have repeatedly sought contact with Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov but have been unable to speak with him for four years, with the last conversation in 2022. There has been no direct contact between defense ministers since October 2022. The Times cited sources saying senior officials are nervous that a misunderstanding at sea could trigger a wider conflict. A recent incident involved the Russian frigate Admiral Grigorovich firing warning shots near a British yacht in the English Channel, though both sides said it was to prevent a collision. Russia has accused the UK of supporting the 2014 change of government in Kiev and of being a leading military backer of Ukraine since 2022, supplying advanced weapons including Storm Shadow cruise missiles. Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson reportedly discouraged Ukraine from a peace agreement in 2022. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has accused Britain and other Western European governments of expansionist policies, arguing the atmosphere is not conducive to dialogue.