The European Union has issued a stark warning over a new and dangerous front in Russia's hybrid war against the West: deliberate and widespread GPS jamming. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has publicly accused Moscow of orchestrating a campaign that is severely disrupting air traffic and navigation across the continent.
The sophisticated electronic attacks, believed to be emanating from Russia's Kaliningrad exclave and other strategic locations, are creating 'blind spots' for pilots and ship captains. This malicious activity represents a significant escalation in Russia's grey-zone tactics, moving beyond disinformation and cyberattacks to directly targeting essential civilian infrastructure.
Aviation Safety in the Crosshairs
The immediate impact is being felt most acutely in the skies. Major airlines, including Finnair, have been forced to confront the alarming reality of their navigation systems failing mid-flight. The carrier has reported repeated incidents where GPS signals have been completely lost, compelling pilots to rely on alternative methods to verify their position—a hazardous situation especially during approach and landing.
This jamming poses a severe risk to aviation safety, potentially leading to catastrophic errors in navigation. The Baltic Sea region, a crucial corridor for international air travel, has become a particular hotspot for this interference.
A Wider Pattern of Hybrid Aggression
President von der Leyen was unequivocal in her condemnation, framing the jamming as a deliberate component of Russia's broader hybrid warfare strategy. "We have seen activities from Russia which have started to interfere with our infrastructure," she stated, linking the electronic attacks to a pattern of aggression that includes cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns aimed at destabilising European democracies.
The issue has shot to the top of the EU's security agenda. Defence ministers are now urgently exploring countermeasures to protect critical navigation systems from what is seen as a direct assault on European sovereignty and the safety of its citizens.
From the Baltics to the Eastern Med
The disruption is not confined to northern Europe. Reports have emerged of similar interference affecting regions as far south as the Mediterranean. Flights between Bulgaria and Israel, for instance, have experienced unexplained navigation issues, suggesting the scale of Russia's jamming capabilities is both vast and sophisticated.
This crisis underscores a chilling new normal, where geopolitical conflicts are increasingly playing out in the electromagnetic spectrum, with civilian travellers caught in the middle. As the EU mobilises its response, the world watches to see how the West will counter this invisible, yet deeply dangerous, form of aggression.
