ICAO may deprive Russia of radio frequencies for civil aviation Amid escalating GPS jamming in Baltics

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) may strip Russia of its rights to existing and new civil aviation radio frequencies in response to widespread GPS jamming in the Baltic Sea region.

NATO’s easternmost members are reporting a sharp rise in radio and satellite interference, accusing Russia of deploying electronic warfare equipment near their borders, Caliber.Az reports, citing Western media.

Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Baltic Sea region has experienced widespread signal disruptions, particularly GPS jamming that affects air and maritime traffic. Authorities in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania say the problem has intensified in recent months. Estonia’s regulator noted that 85% of flights in its airspace now face interference, while Lithuania reported a 22-fold surge in incidents last year.

Officials also point to an increase in “spoofing,” when false coordinates are deliberately transmitted, raising safety risks for civilian transport and security concerns for NATO, according to Jacek Tarocinski of Warsaw’s Center for Eastern Studies.

The Baltic governments, joined by Finland, Sweden, and Poland, have filed complaints with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Both UN agencies confirmed Russia as the source of the interference, with ICAO warning Moscow that its actions may constitute a breach of international law.

Vilnius said Moscow has not formally responded to the ICAO Council’s demand to halt the activity, while Russia reportedly defended the jamming at an ITU meeting as necessary to “protect national infrastructure.”

In response, the EU’s Galileo satellite system introduced new anti-spoofing technology in July, aimed at countering interference in sensitive areas such as the Baltic Sea.

By Khagan Isayev