GPS in neighboring countries may be disrupted by Russian electronic warfare: ISW

• Russia is using electronic warfare forces to thwart Ukrainian drone and missile attacks.
• But Russian electronic warfare may also be jamming GPS signals in neighboring countries.
• Electronic warfare units play a central role in the war in Ukraine.

Russia’s electronic warfare forces are so pervasive that they could be wreaking havoc on GPS signals in neighboring countries, the report said.

The Institute for War Studies, a US-based think tank, said recent jamming of GPS signals in Poland and the Baltic Sea region had sparked rumors of Russian electronic warfare systems being used nearby.

The US-based think tank cited reports of high levels of GPS interference in Poland from January 10 to 16 and in the southern Baltic Sea from December 25 to 27.

Polish media said the interference affected the aircraft’s GPS system, but the flight was unaffected because air traffic control had enabled navigation with an alternative system.

There was also speculation that the interference could have been caused by a secret NATO exercise or by Russian electronic warfare units in the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad on the Baltic Sea coast, ISW said.

Kaliningrad is a territory between Poland and Lithuania that is independent from mainland Russia. Formerly part of Germany and known as Königsberg, it was taken over by the Soviet Union and renamed after World War II.

Joakim Persikivi from the Swedish National Defense Academy told Swedish broadcaster SVT that the interference was likely the result of Russia’s hybrid warfare. He was referring to Russia’s tactics to weaken countries through various covert means.

“I think this is part of Russian influence operations, so-called hybrid warfare,” Paashkivi said. “This may be Russia’s way of instilling uncertainty and demonstrating strength.”

Jukka Savolainen, director of the Finnish Center of Excellence in Hybrid Warfare, was also quoted in Polish and Swedish media, claiming that Russia was likely behind the intervention.

“While ISW is unable to independently verify the cause of the level of GPS jamming at this time, it is possible that Russian electronic warfare (EW) capabilities in Kaliningrad Oblast could have such a significant impact on Poland and the Baltic Sea region. This suggestion is noteworthy,” the think tank said.

Tensions with NATO have been rising during the Ukraine conflict, and recently leaked German military plans envisaged a scenario in which Russia attacked NATO allies near Kaliningrad.

Russia’s electronic warfare forces played a vital role in the invasion of Ukraine, redirecting drones and missiles by remotely scrambling GPS coordinates and other electronic signals to guide them to their targets.