Is Russia jamming GPS in the Baltics?

Estonia has accused Russia of jamming GPS navigation devices in the airspace above the Baltic states, raising fears of potential aircraft disasters.

The incidents were part of an "ongoing pattern" of GPS interference in Europe, said New Scientist, but there are question marks over who is to blame and whether it is deliberate.

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a network of satellites and other devices that are pivotal for aviation safety. But its signals are "vulnerable to blocking or distortion, creating problems for pilots and air traffic control dispatchers", said The Times. 

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'Potentially catastrophic'

A Royal Air Force plane carrying the UK defence secretary, Grant Shapps, was allegedly subjected to jamming for around 30 minutes as it flew near Kaliningrad, a Russian exclave on the Baltic, in March. It was travelling between the UK and Poland when its satellite signal was temporarily interfered with on both legs of the journey.

Finnair flights from Helsinki to Tartu have been paused for at least a month over "potentially catastrophic" GPS interference, said The Times, and two Finnair flights were forced to return to Helsinki over safety fears.

Over the past six months, jamming has worsened around the Baltic Sea, said Finnair pilot and Finnish Pilots Association safety and security committee chair Lauri Soini.

Estonia has pointed the finger firmly at Moscow. The country's foreign minister, Margus Tsahkna, said the disruption was the result of "completely deliberate actions" by Russia. Moscow "knows perfectly well" that the interference is "very dangerous to our aviation and goes against the international conventions, which Russia has also joined", he said.

His remarks come weeks after Germany claimed that Russia was probably behind a string of GPS disturbances in the Baltic region. Berlin identified Kaliningrad as the most probable source for the jamming operations, but, like Estonia, offered no evidence for its allegations.

'Badly degraded'

Does all this mean that Russia is actively trying to interfere with European civil aviation? "Probably not", said The Economist. Because, according to European officials, the jamming is probably intended to protect Russian forces from Ukrainian drone attacks, which are growing "more frequent and ambitious".

Following drone attacks from Ukraine last month, the disruption in the Baltic states is "probably a byproduct of Russian defensive measures". Jamming is a "crucial military tactic" and Moscow "appears to have the edge" in using it, leading to Kyiv ceasing some attacks because its GPS guidance had been "so badly degraded".

But even if the jamming of civil aircraft in the Baltic is inadvertent, it is "nevertheless a pain" because larger separation distances will be required. GPS is the only form of navigation for some private jets and its disruption has also affected commercial shipping.

Although GPS jamming can sound alarming, AirBaltic safety manager and flight captain Janis Kristops told Reuters that most major airports have a variety of navigation tools available if GPS isn't working. In addition, the authorities are aiming to train pilots to verify jamming and spoofing sooner.