Finland, Norway and Poland have all reported Russian jamming of GPS is affecting not just military units but airlines and air ambulance services. According to the Barents Observer, GPS jamming is practically a daily occurrence near the Russian border where Russia is stepping up “hybrid warfare.” It said the number of jamming incidents has more than doubled since Russia invaded Ukraine two years ago. Russia uses GPS jamming to thwart Ukrainian drone attacks.
The report makes no mention of GPS spoofing, in which receivers are tricked into displaying incorrect navigation data on screens, but it is nevertheless a concern for non-military operators. “We depend on good GPS signals to quickly locate areas with people missing in extreme weather,” said Finmark Police Deputy Chief Trond Eirik Nilsen. Further south, Polish officials say jamming has affected aircraft there and over the Baltic Sea.
