Russian GPS Jamming Disrupted Navigation on 123,000 Flights Across Europe

Russian interference with GPS and other satellite navigation systems has disrupted nearly 122,600 flights operated by 365 airlines in the first four months of 2025, according to a report by Sweden and five neighboring countries reviewed by broadcaster SVT.

The report describes Russian GPS jamming as a systemic threat to international aviation safety.

Rising Disruptions

Sweden’s Transport Agency has recorded a sharp increase in navigation interference incidents in recent months. Authorities submitted the findings to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

The disruptions affected airspace over Poland, the Baltic states, Finland and Sweden. In April alone, an average of 27.4% of flights in the region experienced navigation failures, with rates exceeding 42% in some areas, the report said.

Both jamming (blocking of GPS signals) and spoofing (false signals designed to mislead navigation systems) were detected. Reported consequences ranged from incorrect location data to system-wide equipment errors that persisted until landing.

In some cases, malfunctions continued even after aircraft left the affected areas.

Tracing the Sources

Authorities identified several sources of interference. Measurements pointed to jamming equipment located in Kaliningrad, St. Petersburg, Smolensk and Rostov Veliky.

“We consider the situation serious, as the number of incidents continues to rise with no sign of decline,” said Andreas Holmgren, head of a division at Sweden’s Transport Agency.

“It is alarming that deliberate actions are being taken to disable a global system on which many parts of society depend.”

Broader Context

Western carriers began facing widespread GPS disruptions near Russia’s borders after the start of the war in Ukraine.

In April 2024, Finnair suspended daily flights to Tartu, Estonia, for a month after two aircraft had to abort landings due to GPS interference.

Earlier this week, the Financial Times reported that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s plane encountered suspected Russian jamming en route to Bulgaria and had to rely on paper maps to land.

However, Bulgarian Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov later told parliament that the aircraft’s navigation system had only suffered partial interruptions, not a complete failure.

According to FlightRadar24 data, the transponder broadcast accurate position information until landing, which was delayed by just nine minutes.