Lithuania has accused Russia of significantly expanding its ability to falsify GPS signals across large parts of Europe, warning that interference originating from the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad can now reach as far as 450 kilometers beyond its borders.
According to Lithuania’s communications regulator, the increase in so-called GPS “spoofing” capabilities has transformed what were once occasional disruptions into a persistent challenge affecting navigation systems across the Baltic region and beyond.
Russia has repeatedly denied accusations of electronic interference, dismissing such claims as part of a Western smear campaign.
Expanded Infrastructure in Kaliningrad
Darius Kuliesius, deputy head of Lithuania’s communications regulator, said Russia has increased the number of GPS spoofing antennas in Kaliningrad from three at the beginning of 2025 to 36 today.
The antennas broadcast false positioning signals designed to confuse navigation systems that rely on satellite data.
Kaliningrad, a heavily militarized Russian territory located between NATO members Lithuania and Poland on the Baltic coast, has long been a focal point of regional security concerns.
“The occasional interference began with the 2023 NATO summit in Vilnius. Now they have built up the infrastructure and the interference has become systemic, permanent, unending Russian provocation against European security,” Kuliesius told Reuters.
Interference Extends Across Multiple Countries
Lithuanian authorities estimate the interference range by analyzing disturbances in ADS-B aviation surveillance transmissions, which are widely used to track aircraft positions.
A map produced by the regulator suggests the spoofing capability can affect all three Baltic states—Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia—as well as most of Poland and parts of Finland, Sweden and Belarus. The disruptions can also extend across sections of the Baltic Sea.
The Russian embassy in Vilnius did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Previous Aviation Incidents Raise Concerns
Concerns over GPS interference in the region have intensified following several high-profile incidents.
Last year, a Spanish military aircraft carrying Defense Minister Margarita Robles experienced GPS disruption while flying near Kaliningrad. A separate flight transporting European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was also reportedly affected while travelling to Bulgaria.
Estonia and Finland have previously accused Russia of jamming GPS navigation systems in regional airspace.
Despite these incidents, aviation experts note that modern commercial aircraft and major airports rely on multiple navigation systems, allowing operations to continue safely even when GPS signals are disrupted.
Impact Beyond Aviation
Lithuanian officials say the effects are not limited to aircraft navigation.
Kuliesius stated that mobile phone networks operating near the Kaliningrad border have experienced reduced performance because interference affects certain frequencies. According to the regulator, disruptions tend to intensify during Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian territory.
The interference has also affected everyday services. In the Lithuanian port city of Klaipėda, located about 50 kilometers from Kaliningrad, online bus tracking systems have reportedly stopped functioning during periods of heightened GPS disruption because they depend on satellite-based location data.
Growing Security Concern
Lithuania’s warning highlights increasing concerns among European nations about electronic warfare and the vulnerability of satellite-based navigation systems.
Officials argue that the expansion of spoofing infrastructure in Kaliningrad demonstrates a growing capability to interfere with civilian and military navigation technologies across a large section of Europe, adding a new dimension to regional security tensions linked to Russia’s war in Ukraine.
