NewsRussian GPS jamming disrupts British Defence Minister's flight

Russian GPS jamming disrupts British Defence Minister's flight

British Defense Minister Grant Shapps
British Defense Minister Grant Shapps
Images source: © Getty Images | Samuel Corum

2:04 PM EDT, March 14, 2024

According to the British Ministry of Defence, on his return from Poland, a plane carrying Minister Grant Shapps experienced a GPS disruption attributed to Russian interference. Sky News and "The Independent" reported this incident.

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"The Independent" elaborated that the disruption targeted an RAF aircraft transporting Defence Minister Grant Shapps after his visit to Poland.

British aircraft's signal jammed by Russians

Defence Minister Grant Shapps had been in Poland until Thursday, participating alongside Polish Defence Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz in the Dragon-24 military exercises at the Orzysz training facility.

Deborah Haynes from Sky News suggested that the jamming likely originated from the Kaliningrad Oblast, in the vicinity of which the British aircraft was flying.

British officials told "The Independent" that "although the RAF is adept at managing such incidents, they nonetheless present unnecessary risks to civilian aviation and pose a danger to human life". They condemned Russia's action as "recklessly irresponsible".

The British Ministry of Defence noted that the interference lasted around thirty minutes, classifying the episode as an act of electronic warfare.

Source: "The Independent", Sky News