Russia Accused of GPS Interference Targeting EU President’s Plane
BRUSSELS – Russia is under scrutiny following allegations of intentional interference with GPS signals during a flight carrying European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen,according to reports surfacing this week.Teh incident,which occurred during a recent trip,prompted an inquiry into potential Russian electronic warfare activities.
The European Commission announced sanctions in July against Russian individuals and entities accused of “hybrid threats,” including a Russian company and two individuals linked to signal jamming originating from Kaliningrad, a Russian exclave. According to a July 15 press release from the Council of the European Union,”GNSS signal disruptions in several European countries have been linked to electronic warfare activities from Kaliningrad,including jamming and spoofing of GNSS signals,primarily affecting the Baltic States,and disrupting civil aviation.”
These latest allegations follow a pattern of reported disruptions. The incidents raise concerns about aviation safety and potential escalations in geopolitical tensions.
The accusations emerge less than three weeks after a “high-stakes” summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. The meeting, their frist in-person encounter since 2019, aimed to explore a potential cease-fire in Ukraine but concluded without a breakthrough. Trump has since held discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and european leaders, reaffirming the U.S. position against deploying troops to Ukraine.
GNSS, or Global Navigation Satellite System, encompasses GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and BeiDou. Jamming disrupts the signal, while spoofing transmits false signals, perhaps misleading navigation systems. The Baltic States have been particularly affected by these disruptions.
