The Baltic Sea region is facing escalating tension once again as GPS disruptions reported by Poland point to deliberate interference by Russian forces. These activities, labelled a form of hybrid warfare, are stirring serious concerns among NATO allies and EU member states who rely on stable navigation systems for civilian and military operations.
Poland Raises the Alarm Over GPS Disruption
On 17 June 2025, Poland officially confirmed repeated interruptions in GPS signal reception over the Baltic Sea. During a press conference at the Latkowo military airbase, Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, stated that the anomalies appear linked to hostile Russian operations.
This claim is not isolated. NATO partners have also acknowledged similar disruptions, supporting Poland’s assessment that Russia is actively interfering with satellite navigation systems across the region.
A Growing Pattern of Interference
These GPS signal interferences aren’t new. Russian tactics to disrupt or spoof satellite-based navigation have been documented before. In March 2024, nearly 870 aircraft were reportedly affected by such disruptions. In January 2025, both large cargo ships and smaller fishing vessels operating in the Baltic Sea also suffered severe navigational challenges.
These actions are part of a wider strategy of electronic warfare, where signal jamming and spoofing become tools for undermining NATO’s situational awareness and operational safety. The technology behind these methods was first tested by Russia in the Black Sea region, particularly around occupied Crimea, where over 10,000 instances of spoofing were tracked by the American non-profit organisation C4ADS.
Hybrid Warfare Aimed at Civilian and Military Targets
According to the latest US National Intelligence Director’s report, Russia prioritises GPS jamming capabilities, especially against US and NATO satellite systems. From 2016 through 2022, spoofing attacks were frequently launched near Kaliningrad and the Crimean Peninsula, affecting both civilian ships and aircraft. This presents a significant threat to navigation safety and maritime traffic control.
The implications are wide-reaching: ships and planes may receive false positional data, potentially leading to course deviations, collisions, or even loss of control in critical zones.
EU States Demand Action
The situation has triggered an urgent response from 13 EU countries, which have jointly appealed to the European Commission to take immediate measures. The coordinated interference is being viewed not as isolated incidents but as part of a deliberate and escalating Russian hybrid strategy within EU and NATO borders.
Poland’s defence ministry has emphasised the need for heightened vigilance, as these actions aim to destabilise not only the region’s infrastructure but also its political and military resilience.
A Violation of International Communication Laws
By deploying these tactics, Russia violates Article 47 of the Constitution of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). This provision obliges member states to prevent false distress, urgency, and safety signals, or any signal that may cause confusion and threaten global communication networks.
Yet Moscow continues to flout these rules, reinforcing concerns that the Kremlin is willing to sacrifice global navigation safety in pursuit of geopolitical disruption.
As GPS systems grow increasingly essential in everyday life—from aviation to agriculture—Russia’s actions highlight the fragility of global navigation infrastructure in the face of hostile intent.