Tests suggest Russian satellites can jam GPS on a continental scale

A groundbreaking study, corroborated by US Air Force officials, reveals Russian military satellites are the likely source of widespread, brief GPS disruptions across Europe, Greenland, and Canada since 2019. This unprecedented 'space-based interference', originating from Russia's EKS early-warning constellation, distinguishes itself from localized ground-based jamming by its continental reach and suggests a new dimension to ongoing electronic warfare. While the intent remains debated, the consistent patterns of these seconds-long outages point to human involvement rather than accidental emissions. The stakes are high: these persistent, though brief, signal degradations pose significant safety and operational risks for civilian aviation and maritime transport, alongside critical infrastructure like power grids and financial networks. European nations, particularly in the Baltic Sea region, have reported a surge in GPS interference, with incidents even affecting a plane carrying European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in 2025. This development underscores the vulnerability of satellite-dependent systems amid heightened geopolitical tensions and Russia's advanced electronic warfare capabilities in the wake of the Ukraine conflict. As NATO and EU authorities grapple with how to respond, the focus shifts to accelerating the development of resilient Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) solutions, including terrestrial backup systems and novel technologies like quantum navigation. Experts warn that the ability to degrade global navigation from orbit represents a strategic weapon, demanding urgent international cooperation and robust defensive measures to safeguard essential services. The continued frequency and ambiguous nature of these disruptions necessitate ongoing vigilance and a re-evaluation of critical infrastructure's reliance on space-based signals.