Experts attribute disruptions to satellite navigation systems affecting thousands of civilian flights to Russia. In regions where Russian military activity is concentrated, such as the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea, and the eastern Mediterranean, an uptick in interference with the Global Positioning System (GPS) has been observed. Consequently, aircraft have been left unable to receive GPS signals.
In March, a Royal Air Force (RAF) plane, carrying Defense Secretary Grant Shapps, experienced GPS signal jamming near Russian territory. The persistent disruptions have prompted Finnair, Finland’s flag carrier, to suspend daily flights to Tartu, Estonia’s second-largest city, for a month. Tartu Airport relies solely on GPS for navigation, unlike larger airports equipped with alternative systems.
Juho Sinkkonen, Finnair’s vice-president for flight operations, revealed that their aircraft encounter GPS interference daily, with over 100 reports per month. Despite the nuisance, Sinkkonen reassures that the interference poses minimal risks, as aircraft can rely on other navigation systems during flight, ensuring safety.
According to Cyrille Rosay, a senior cybersecurity expert at the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), incidents of GPS interference have surged, surpassing “several thousand” annually. Baltic state officials, particularly Estonia’s Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, unequivocally attribute the interference to Russia, citing evidence pointing to Russian cities like St Petersburg, Kaliningrad, and Pskov as sources of interference.
Online investigators concur, suggesting that GPS jammers are likely positioned between St Petersburg and Estonia, as well as near Kaliningrad, where the RAF plane experienced signal jamming. Tsahkna condemns Russia’s actions, asserting that by jamming GPS signals, Russia is endangering civilian airplanes and violating international agreements.
“This is a violation of international agreements… And also I’m really sure that they know exactly what they’re doing,” he added.