Finland Accuses Russia Of Jamming Navigational Signals & Causing Ships To Lose Course In The Baltic Sea
The Coast Guard of Finland has reported continuous disruptions to satellite navigation signals in the Baltic Sea since April, with a noticeable increase in recent weeks.
Authorities claim that these disturbances, which they suspect were caused by Russian interference, have jeopardized maritime safety by disorienting vessels and putting them at risk of running aground.
Jamming of the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) in the Gulf of Finland has led to multiple incidents in which ships have lost their course, as per the officials.
Finnish authorities have to intervene to prevent ships from dangerously approaching islands or shallow waters.
The Coast Guard further stated that these disruptions have hampered the functionality of ships’ Automatic Identification Systems (AIS), essential for electronic navigation.
Commanders have observed intentional activities that worsen the situation.
Pekka Niittyla of the Gulf of Finland Coast Guard reported that some AIS devices had been turned off, and vessels have falsified their location data in online tracking systems.
The practice detected in about 10 tankers visiting Russian ports near St. Petersburg, appears to be an attempt to hide connections to Russia, maybe to evade Western sanctions imposed on Moscow’s oil exports.
Finland’s Interior Minister, Lulu Ranne, said Russia is responsible for the GNSS and GPS signal disturbances affecting the region.
Per the Coast Guard, the interference may be aimed at protecting Russian oil terminals from potential Ukrainian attacks, especially given the ongoing conflict.
Russia has previously denied involvement in the disruption of communications and satellite networks.
However, Finnish officials suspect that spoofing and signal interference are caused by attempts to hide the origin of oil shipments, especially for buyers trying to hide Russian oil purchases.
Finnish authorities are becoming increasingly concerned about the “shadow fleet” of old Russian tankers, many of which are in poor condition.
Niittyla discussed the environmental risk posed by these vessels, which could cause massive oil spills in the Baltic Sea, which is already fragile and environmentally sensitive.
The harsh and stormy winter weather heightens the risk.
The Coast Guard continues to closely monitor the situation, citing the potential maritime security and environmental risks that could worsen if the disruptions persist.
Reference: Reuters
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