by AFP Staff Writers
Tallinn (AFP) May 8, 2024
Estonia on Wednesday summoned Russia's charge d'affaires over GPS interference, which the NATO member said was Russian "hybrid activity" that had disrupted civilian air traffic.
Estonia and fellow Baltic states Latvia and Lithuania last month warned that widespread Russian GPS jamming increased the threat of an aviation accident.
"Today we summoned (the) Russian charge d'affaires over GPS jamming which is a violation of regulations... and has caused serious damage to air traffic," Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said on X, formerly Twitter.
"Russia's hybrid activities that disrupt our normal lives in Estonia and Europe must end," he added.
Last month, Finnair said it was suspending flights to the Estonian city of Tartu until May 31 because of GPS interference, which had forced two of its flights to turn back to Helsinki.
Finnair said at the time that in the interim "an alternative approach solution that doesn't require a GPS signal can be put in place at Tartu Airport".
GPS interference can "prevent the aircraft from approaching and landing", it said, adding that interference "is quite common in the area".
Finnair is the only airline operating international flights to the Estonian airport.
The Czech Republic summoned its Russian ambassador this week over recent repeated cyberattacks by a group said to be linked to Russia's military intelligence.
Germany has temporarily recalled its Russian ambassador after members of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's party were targeted in what Berlin said was a state-sponsored Russian cyberattack.
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