Event 17963245-f435-44b6-ba13-045decbcf9be

Approved event from Hybrid War Tracker

Status: Approved Confidence: Low Classification: Cyber & Information Warfare > Cyber Attacks > Attacks on critical infrastructure (energy, transport, hospitals) Country: Lithuania Where: Land Node: Node 1: Borders Tag: GPS jamming Tag: Electronic warfare Tag: Lithuania Tag: Kaliningrad Tag: Drone disruptions Tag: Klaipėda port Tag: Russian hybrid warfare Tag: Baltic Sea Aggressor Defense Confidence: High

Source: https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/2586184/drone-chaos ...

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Event Time

➕

Created

✏️

Updated

Summary

Headline: Drone chaos on Lithuania's coast: GPS jamming near Kaliningrad increased sevenfold

Short Summary: GPS jamming near Russia's Kaliningrad region surged sevenfold as Lithuania faces increasing drone disruptions along its coast, prompting a commercial drone flight ban in Klaipėda port.

Extended Summary: Since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the Lithuanian Armed Forces have observed a sevenfold increase in GPS jamming incidents near Kaliningrad, a heavily militarized Russian exclave between Lithuania and Poland. This increased electronic interference is causing commercial and professional drone pilots trouble, with reports of drones crashing or losing control especially near the Curonian Lagoon. Lithuania has banned commercial drone flights in the Klaipėda port area but maritime transport continues using other navigation methods. Analysts attribute the GPS jamming to Russian Electronic Warfare efforts aimed at disrupting NATO and Western surveillance in the Baltic region. Lithuanian officials advise relying on multiple GPS systems and visual navigation as countermeasures.

Description

Along Lithuania's coast, GPS signal jamming has increased sevenfold near the Kaliningrad region, causing drones to crash or become uncontrollable. The Lithuanian Armed Forces report much stronger GPS interference since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, with more frequent disruptions near the coast and the Curonian Lagoon adjacent to Kaliningrad. Commercial drone flights are completely banned in Klaipėda port area due to these disruptions, though maritime transport continues using alternative navigation systems. Experts link intensified jamming to Russian electronic warfare from Kaliningrad aiming to disrupt Western activities.

Event Classification

Aggressor Event Defense Preparation Event

Rationale

The article explicitly details Russian-led GPS jamming near Lithuania's Kaliningrad border causing drone disruptions (aggressor event). It also describes Lithuania's defensive response including banning commercial drones in Klaipėda port and advising alternative navigation methods (defense prep event). Attribution to Russia and official Lithuanian Armed Forces statements support high confidence.

Evidence

Quotes

"Although the drones used to drift around in the air, the signal would remain clear, everything was fine, but now we're seeing not only much stronger GPS jamming, but cases of control signal interference too. [...] Two of my colleagues have already had drones crash, and several others have experienced severe signal loss," said Saulius Balčiūnas.

"At first it was from Tauragė, then from Kaunas – the zones where navigation doesn't work are expanding," said Bonius Žaronskis, head of Nida Air Park.

"This seems to have coincided with that successful Ukrainian operation in Russia – maybe they got mad at the whole world and are trying to take revenge," Balčiūnas said.

Source

https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/2586184/drone-chaos-on-lithuania-s-coast-gps-jamming-near-kaliningrad-increased-sevenfold