European countries bordering Russia have reported a significant increase in GPS jamming and signal spoofing, raising concerns about aviation safety and military logistics, according to Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
Reports from the Baltic states, Finland, Poland, and Sweden point to intensified electronic interference over recent months, coinciding with the expansion of Russian electronic warfare systems along its western border and the Baltic Sea.
On June 23, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Finland submitted a joint letter to the International Telecommunication Union, noting “substantial growth” in radio-navigation disruptions. Estonia’s communications regulator confirmed that 85 percent of flights in the country have experienced signal interruptions, with cases of coordinate spoofing also increasing.
In July, Lithuania accused Russia of orchestrating a surge in jamming activity, reporting a 22-fold rise in incidents compared to the previous year.
According to investigative outlet Tochnyi, satellite imagery from mid-August revealed construction of a circular antenna array south of Chernyakhovsk in Russia’s Kaliningrad region, about 25 kilometers from the Polish border.
Analysts suggest the site could be used for monitoring NATO communications across Eastern Europe and the Baltic Sea, enabling submarine communications in the Baltic or North Atlantic, and facilitating passive intelligence collection.
ISW assessed that these electronic operations employ technologies refined by Russia during Russia’s war against Ukraine and are now being applied directly against NATO member states.
The institute concluded that Moscow is conducting a broad hybrid campaign, using electronic warfare as a tool of strategic pressure on neighboring countries.
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna described recent disruptions as “part of hostile actions” and a “hybrid attack.” ISW also noted that GPS failures in Poland and the Baltics since late 2023 should be considered within the wider pattern of Russia’s hybrid activities, which have included energy-related pressure and targeted operations against diplomats.
Analysts predict that such electronic interference is likely to continue as a sustained element of Russia’s strategy toward NATO’s eastern flank.
Earlier, it was reported that Polish scientists traced disruptive GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) interference over the Baltic Sea to Russian electronic-warfare facilities located near Kaliningrad, including coastal antenna complexes suspected of influencing civilian and military navigation systems.
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