On Thursday, officials from the Ministry of the Interior, the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA), and Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority (TTJA) gave an overview of the signal disruptions and Estonia's countermeasures.

GPS and GNSS disturbances have been reported across the Baltic Sea region since June 2023. Experts say Russia is trying to protect its military and vital infrastructure sites from Ukrainian drone attacks.

A knock-on effect is that it affects other systems using satellite navigation technology. This has included planes, ships, drones, and tractors.

Last week, state agencies said a new Russian signal jammer close to Estonia's eastern border is causing increased GPS interference.

Minister of the Interior Igor Taro (Eesti 200) said Russia has sought to influence its neighbors with cyber and hybrid attacks for years. Now it is increasingly interfering with European member states' satellite communication signals and navigation systems.

"In recent months, incidents that have disrupted PPA surveillance flights have become more frequent. It is also a fact that over the past three months, some of our technical equipment has become unusable due to incidents caused by satellite signal jamming," he said.

The damage to the internal security sector amounts to half a million euros: "This situation may leave a bitter taste, but it gives us a good reason to push forward with technological development and seek smart solutions," Taro added.

The minister has now put forward a proposal to the government to allocate funds to enhance the security services' drone capabilities.

"My proposal under the comprehensive national defense investment plan is to reallocate funds and significantly increase internal security's drone capabilities by €400,000. In total, the amount under this plan would then be €1.1 million," said Taro.

While drones were previously seen as a long-term investment, this view has changed following Ukraine's experience during the full-scale invasion.

"For example, in Ukraine, the average lifespan of a €30,000 drone is six hours. Ours last somewhat longer, but certainly not five to seven years, as the manufacturers suggest," Taro said.

The interior minister highlighted that the spreading of narratives that claim neighboring countries' security infrastructure is used to attack Russian targets.

"But anyone even slightly familiar with radio waves and mobile networks understands how absurd that claim is. Our infrastructure's impact cannot meaningfully extend beyond our national border," he said.

Taro stressed that air and sea traffic are operating normally. "There are alternative navigation measures in place, and they are actively used. But the issue affects smaller aircraft."

There is a risk that drones in border areas could fall due to satellite disruptions and cause damage.

Other countries bordering Russia are all experiencing the same problems.

"Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, [and] Finland are all directly affected. We can cooperate comprehensively and act as a united front. In the near future, we will certainly conduct consultations with our closest neighbors who are also affected by this hostile activity," Taro said.

The interior minister told the press conference that he will propose imposing sanctions on Russia.

"I will propose to the government that we apply the European Union's hybrid activity sanctions regime. And this would target not only the direct executors of orders, but also those who plan and strategically direct activities against neighboring countries," he said.

Talving: Don't fly drones in Narva

Director General of the Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority (TTJA) Kristi Talving said the disruptions have been felt since June 2023.

They occur daily and originate from Russia, she said. The disruptions have a significant impact on airspace and the Gulf of Finland, but not on land.

"Primarily, this means that the accuracy of the navigation system decreases due to jamming, or the location data disappears entirely. But since October 2024, we've also encountered GPS spoofing, which means that the navigation system is deliberately showing the wrong location," Talving told the press conference.

Since July, GPS signal interference has become more intense, she told the press conference. The impact of GPS disruptions is greatest in northeastern and southeastern Estonia.

Talving said there are four jammers located between Narva and St. Petersburg.

"One of these jammers is situated very close to our border. It was activated in July of this year, which means that drones flying in Narva, around Narva, and along the coast of Narva Bay is heavily affected as a result. In addition to this jammer, a GPS spoofer is also located there. This means that spoofing is also very frequent in Narva, around the city, and in Narva Bay," the director general said.

The agency does not recommend flying drones in the Narva area. The jammers take effect as soon as the aircraft rises above the treetops.

Southeastern Estonia is affected by two jammers. Both are located further away from the border, so the impact is less severe than in the northeast. The TTJA still advises extreme caution when flying drones.

A jammer located in Kaliningrad also affects other EU countries, such as Lithuania and Poland. Its impact is felt in Estonia only in good weather.

"These beautiful summer days we're having right now — calm winds, sunshine —under such conditions, the jammer in Kaliningrad can have an effect on waters west of Hiiumaa and Saaremaa," Talving said.

Aviation is affected by jamming and spoofing

The GPS disruptions have the largest impact on aviation, and Estonian airspace is affected by jammers every day. They can be felf from around 1,500 meters altitude and extend up to 13,000 meters.

At least 85 percent of flights are affected by jamming, Talving said. "That percentage may be even higher, because not all pilots keep GPS navigation turned on during flights. So we might not detect all instances of jamming," she added.

Aircraft are also affected by spoofing. Spoofing begins in Estonian airspace at about 5,000 meters altitude and extends up to 13,000 meters.

The first spoofing incidents occurred in October 2024. In April 2025, there were approximately 40 spoofed flights per month. In May, that number rose to around 100 per month. In the last two months, spoofing has intensified.

There were about 130 spoofed flights in June, and more than 230 in July, said Talving.

The impact of GPS disruptions is significantly smaller in territorial waters, but the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland and the northern part of Lake Peipus are affected. Under favorable weather conditions, the jammer in Kaliningrad can also affect waters west of Saaremaa and Hiiumaa, Talving noted.

Flying and sea travel remain safe, because both aircraft and ships also use navigation systems that do not rely on GPS signals.

Talving stressed that flying and sea travel are still safe, as both aircraft and ships also use navigation systems that do not depend on GPS. There is also no noticeable impact on land, and mobile communications have not been significantly affected by the disruptions.

The only way to eliminate the effect of a jammer is to turn it off. Estonia has communicated on this issue with international organizations, said Talving.

PPA: A jammer can take control of a drone

PPA Deputy Director General for Border Management Veiko Kommusaar also said GPS disruptions have been ongoing in border areas for several years. But more devices have been added in recent years and the signals have become significantly stronger.

He described how the PPA's drone crews launch drones for surveillance flights, but immediately encounter disruption. This can make it appear as though the unmanned aerial vehicle has crossed into Russian territory, even though it has not in reality.  

"Our drone pilots are experiencing this more and more in their daily work," Kommusaar said. "Of course, we're also learning from it and implementing countermeasures. If anything, we plan to fly even more, not less."

The Russians are also trying to cut communication between the drone operator and the drone, he told the assembled media.

"During flights near the border, we are already experiencing actions where the connection between the drone and its operator is broken. It becomes a sort of battle over who ultimately controls the drone and where it ends up being taken," he said.

He acknowledged that there have been incidents where drones did not return in one piece. "That's an inevitable consequence of this struggle for dominance," he noted.

Kommusaar said the PPA is working to enhance its technology.

"We are upgrading our drones and monitoring systems daily with various new technological solutions in order not to lose the edge, the knowledge, and the information we need to protect our borders," the official said.

In summary, the official said: "We have indeed experienced a few incidents, and it is likely there will be more in the future, but over the years we have consistently worked to enhance our drones' ability to operate under difficult conditions, and this development work will continue."

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