Russia Intensifies GPS Jamming in the Baltic Sea Near Finland

Russia has stepped up GPS signal jamming in the Baltic Sea near Finland, raising safety concerns for civilian maritime traffic.

According to Yle, Finland’s Western Coast Guard has reported frequent disruptions to satellite navigation signals, especially in the Archipelago Sea and the Åland Sea.

Previously, such interference was mostly limited to the Gulf of Finland, but authorities now say the disruptions are being detected farther west, including near the Åland Islands.

Pekka Niittylä, deputy commander of Finland’s Western Coast Guard, stated that the source of the interference is located in Russia.

He linked the interference to Russia’s efforts to protect its key Baltic ports, which Ukrainian strikes have recently targeted.

“The interference is observed mainly in open waters. In the inner parts of the archipelago, the impact is less significant due to dense vegetation,” the Finnish Coast Guard representative said.

He explained that the disruptions make it harder for vessels and ships to determine their position using GPS receivers. The interference can also affect the operation of other equipment.

The Coast Guard stressed that in the event of GPS interference, crews must be able to use traditional paper nautical charts, which should always be kept on board.

“On small boats, GPS receivers are positioned lower, so the impact of the interference is minimal. The greatest difficulties occur on larger vessels,” Niittylä added.

Meanwhile, shipping companies are aware of the risk of GPS disruptions and are prepared to rely on radar systems and nautical charts for navigation.

Earlier, journalists from The Telegraph reported that Russia is using electronic warfare (EW) systems deployed in Kaliningrad to jam and spoof GPS signals. As a result, Ukrainian drones lose navigation accuracy and veer toward the Baltic states and Finland.