EU transport ministers accuse Belarus, Russia of meddling with navigation systems

June 10, Pozirk. The transport ministers of 13 European Union countries have urged the European Commission to respond to interference with Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) by Russia and Belarus, BNS reports.

“Immediate and coordinated action” in response to “hybrid threats posed by hostile regimes” is needed, they stressed in a joint letter to Kaja Kallas, the EU foreign policy chief and other officials.

“Disruptions to GNSS signals have a direct impact on strategic sectors such as transport, energy, and telecommunications,” Lithuanian Transport Minister Eugenijus Sabutis said.

Operators have complained of jamming and spoofing over the Baltic Sea Region, the letter said, noting threats to civil aviation and maritime navigation.

The ministers described the incidents as “a systematic, deliberate action by Russia and Belarus” directed against a strategic radio spectrum, essential for modern technology, regional safety and transport security.

The letter called on the EU to step up diplomatic efforts and consider legal action against individuals and entities involved in the deliberate interference with GNSS. 

The transport ministers of Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain have signed the letter.