Russia Expands GPS Spoofing to 450 km From Kaliningrad, Lithuania Says 36 Antennae Now Operate
Updated
Updated · Reuters · May 26
Russia Expands GPS Spoofing to 450 km From Kaliningrad, Lithuania Says 36 Antennae Now Operate
4 articles · Updated · Reuters · May 26
Lithuania's communications regulator said Russia can now falsify GPS signals up to 450 km into Europe from Kaliningrad, after expanding spoofing antennae to 36 from three in early 2025.
Kaliningrad-based transmitters now reach across the Baltic states, most of Poland, parts of Finland, Sweden and Belarus, with the range estimated from disruptions in aviation ADS-B surveillance data.
Lithuania says the interference, which began around the 2023 NATO summit in Vilnius, has become systemic and permanent; mobile networks near the border also degrade, and GPS-based bus tracking in Klaipeda can fail during spikes.
Spoofing and jamming intensify during Ukrainian drone attacks on Russia, while past incidents have affected aircraft carrying Spain's defense minister and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Moscow has repeatedly denied responsibility, calling such accusations a Western smear campaign, as Baltic and Nordic states increasingly link regional navigation disruptions to Russia since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
How can NATO counter Russia's electronic attacks without risking military escalation?
As GPS becomes a battleground, can new navigation tech truly secure our critical infrastructure?
The Baltic GPS Crisis: Russia’s Widening Electronic Warfare and Its Impact on Aviation, Military, and Civilian Systems
Overview
Russia has expanded its GPS interference capabilities from Kaliningrad, building more spoofing infrastructure and increasing its ability to disrupt both civilian and military navigation across much of Europe. This interference now reaches up to 450km, causing daily disruptions in the Baltic region and raising serious concerns for aviation safety, telecommunications, and NATO security. The intensified GPS manipulation is closely linked to Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, heightening regional tensions and demonstrating a persistent threat to critical infrastructure and operational reliability throughout Europe.