Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
In one of the Baltic States, 85 % of flights are affected by signal disruption.
In one of the Baltic States, 85 % of flights are affected by signal disruption.
What is happening?
Russia appears to be ramping up a hybrid campaign targeting NATO states near its borders, using GPS and communications jamming as key tools., Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reports.
Finland, Sweden and Baltics sounding the alarm
According to a Bloomberg report dated August 23, nations bordering Russia—such as Finland, Poland, Sweden, and the Baltic states—are sounding the alarm over a significant rise in signal disruptions.
Sharp increase in signal disruption
In a joint letter sent on June 23 to the International Telecommunications Union, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Finland detailed a marked rise in GPS and radio-navigation interference.
These countries accuse Russia of amplifying its jamming operations, particularly near their western borders.
Estonia: 85% of flights affected
An Estonian communications regulator told Bloomberg that a staggering 85% of flights in Estonian airspace now suffer from signal interference.
Even more alarming is the growing use of GPS “spoofing,” which transmits false location data to aircraft and ships.
22-fold increase in GPS jamming in Lithuania
Lithuania singled out July 2025 as a tipping point, noting a 22-fold increase in GPS jamming incidents compared to the previous year.
Officials accuse Russia of orchestrating the disruption, which is now spilling over into neighboring nations.
Civil aviation authorities raise red flags
In early July 2025, the Baltic states, Finland, Sweden, and Poland collectively voiced their concerns to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
The ICAO responded with “grave concerns” over the growing risks to aviation safety caused by Russian electronic warfare (EW) activity.
EW jamming expanding beyond airspace
A Lithuanian communications official told Bloomberg that Russian jamming is also disrupting ground communications towers and maritime systems, posing risks to both shipping and overland transport networks.
Satellite imagery reveals new Russian antenna array
Pro-Ukrainian outlet Tochnyi reported on August 15 that Russia is building a Circularly Disposed Antenna Array (CDAA) near Chernyakhovsk in Kaliningrad, just 25 kilometers from Poland’s border.
This military-grade installation is likely designed for large-scale radio intelligence and communication.
Potential intelligence and naval uses of Kaliningrad antenna
Analysts believe the CDAA could give Russia the ability to monitor NATO communications, support submarine operations in the Baltic and Atlantic, and bolster passive intelligence-gathering across Eastern Europe.
Prior incidents tie back to Russian EW activity
Russia’s GPS interference isn’t new. In early 2024, flights across the Baltics, Poland, and Finland were similarly disrupted.
One standout case occurred in March 2024, when a British Royal Air Force jet carrying then–UK Defense Secretary Grant Shapps was likely jammed en route from Poland.
Kremlin’s hybrid tactics likely draw from Ukraine war
ISW says the Kremlin is increasingly using electronic warfare techniques honed during the war in Ukraine.
These tools now form part of a broader hybrid strategy aimed at undermining NATO’s logistics and defense networks across Europe.
