Baltic States Urge Action After Sharp Rise in Russian GPS Interference
The Baltic states have sounded the alarm over a surge in electronic warfare activity, accusing Russia of dramatically intensifying radio and satellite interference along NATO’s eastern flank.
The Gaze reports this, referring to Bloomberg.
Officials state the disruption, affecting aviation, maritime navigation, and even civilian mobile networks, poses risks to regional security.
Estonia’s regulator said that up to 85% of flights in its airspace now face interference, forcing pilots to rely on backup navigation methods and adding to air traffic controllers’ workload. Lithuania reported a 22-fold increase in GPS jamming incidents compared to last year.
“Russia is continuously testing NATO, probing both our military and political responses,” said Jacek Tarocinski, a research fellow at Poland’s Center for Eastern Studies. “It’s part of an effort “to exploit divisions among allies and undermine the cohesion of the alliance.”
The Baltic governments, joined by Finland, Sweden, and Poland, have escalated complaints to international watchdogs. In letters to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), they presented data tracing the interference back to Russian territory.
At a recent ITU meeting, Russian officials did not deny responsibility but justified their actions as necessary to “protect national infrastructure.”
Lithuania has identified four suspected Russian jamming sites in Kaliningrad, the heavily militarized exclave wedged between Poland and Lithuania.
Estonian and Latvian officials say they are also affected by equipment positioned in mainland Russia near their borders. Some devices are believed to operate from naval vessels in the Baltic Sea.
The Suwalki Gap, a narrow stretch of land linking Poland and Lithuania between Belarus and Kaliningrad, has seen particularly intense interference, Polish air navigation authorities reported. The disruption has forced pilots to request radar guidance, straining air traffic control systems.
Despite the risks, officials insist commercial flights remain safe, though they acknowledge that constant reliance on alternative navigation adds operational burdens.
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