Baltic states, Finland and Poland urged to coordinate amid escalating Russian GPS jamming
Estonian Minister of the Interior, Igor Taro, has called for closer cooperation between countries bordering Russia in response to a growing wave of GPS jamming believed to originate from within Russian territory. Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, and Poland are increasingly affected by disruptions to satellite navigation systems across their airspace and maritime zones.
In brief
Estonian Interior Minister Igor Taro called on countries bordering Russia to cooperate against GPS signal jamming, which affects Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland and Poland. Estonia has experienced interference since mid-2023, and damage in the country's internal security sector alone is estimated at more than 0.5 million euros. In late July, Estonian transport supervisory authorities reported new jamming systems installed by Russia near Narva, with a risk of drones losing communication. In 2024, interference warnings were also issued for the maritime area of the Gulf of Finland following reports from ship crews.
- Russia’s hostile activity in the electromagnetic domain requires a united response, Minister Taro stated during a press briefing. - We are already witnessing material and operational impacts, particularly in the internal security sector.
Estonia has been experiencing significant GPS interference since mid-2023. A recent report by Estonian internal security services estimates direct losses from these disruptions at over €500,000. In recent months, border guard and police aerial surveillance operations have faced growing challenges, with some aircraft and drone systems rendered inoperable due to persistent signal jamming.
In late July, Estonia’s transport and communications regulators reported the deployment of new electronic warfare systems by Russia just across the eastern border near Narva. Authorities warned of heightened risks to UAV operations in border regions, noting potential loss of connectivity and control leading to drones crashing.
Previously, jamming zones were primarily linked to Russian installations in Kaliningrad and the St. Petersburg region. Since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, GPS interference has caused frequent re-routing of civilian aircraft, particularly over Finnish and Estonian airspace. In 2024, maritime alerts were also issued in the Gulf of Finland after commercial ship crews began reporting serious navigation anomalies.
According to defense analysts, Russia is increasingly employing GNSS interference to shield critical military infrastructure from Ukrainian drone attacks. The use of advanced electronic countermeasures appears to be expanding beyond frontline regions, with spillover effects now compromising civilian navigation safety and law enforcement operations across Northern and Eastern Europe.
The Estonian Interior Minister stressed the urgency of multilateral coordination among regional partners to counter this growing threat and safeguard both public safety and national sovereignty in the electromagnetic spectrum.
Source: Gazeta Morska / PAP · Compiled by: Kamil Kusier
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