this post was submitted on 27 Aug 2026
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cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/10965158

...

Experts from the GdaΕ„sk University of Technology, the Maritime University of Gdynia, and the Institute of Telecommunications have for months been indicating that the main sources of interference and signal falsification (spoofing) are located in the [Russia-controlled] Kaliningrad region.

Poland is one of the most exposed countries to the problem, as a significant part of its territory, especially at cruising altitude, falls within range of jamming systems from the area.

Lithuania reported in 2026 that spoofing infrastructure in Kaliningrad had been significantly expanded, with the number of antennas increasing from just a few at the start of 2025 to several dozen. This reportedly makes it possible to falsify signals over distances of up to 450 km, meaning it could potentially cover much of Poland, the Baltic states, and parts of the Nordic region.

The Institute of Telecommunications warned people against relying solely on their phone's maps. It is instead advised that people use traditional navigation and orientation methods where possible, or to download maps for offline use in advance.

...

In the longer term, Poland is developing its own monitoring systems, including a portal based on the ASG-EUPOS network and a planned network of sensors run by the Polish Space Agency.

...

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, dozens of similar incidents have been recorded in Europe, particularly in the Baltic, Nordic, and Black Sea regions.

Western officials and experts have repeatedly pointed to Russia, which claims the actions are taken to defend against Ukrainian drones. But Baltic and Scandinavian countries stress that the range and intensity of the interference go far beyond Russia's borders and amount to a systematic provocation.

...

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[–] stoy@lemmy.zip 79 points 6 days ago (1 children)

It isn't a malfunction, it is Russia jamming

[–] Mihies@programming.dev 7 points 6 days ago (2 children)

Most probably, but the problem is to prove it. It's not easy AFAIK.

[–] poVoq@slrpnk.net 9 points 6 days ago (2 children)

They don't deny it? It is to prevent drone attacks on the oil infrastructure in Kaliningrad. It isn't really possible to limit GPS jamming to such a small enclave, and the Russians probably care little about the externalities this causes.

[–] Mihies@programming.dev 4 points 6 days ago

If they don't deny it, isn't a proof by itself. I mean they could be only bragging. Also I wouldn't say it's about Kaliningrad primarly, more likely to disrupt Ukrainian forces and western forces in general.

[–] Hiro8811@lemmy.world 2 points 6 days ago (1 children)

It has been know for a bit that Russia has the capability to disturb GPS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tz23G_UXCGA

[–] HK65@sopuli.xyz 3 points 6 days ago

Everyone with access to copper wiring and an electronics textbook has the capability to disturb GPS.

Iirc, the jamming was done in such a way that using a physical β€œtunnel” to provide a direct line-of-sight connection to a gps satellite would work. Seems easy enough to test if one were so inclined.

If it’s a satnav issue, alternative constellations are available to connect to, which would test that theory.

russia is definitely fucking with the region though, so it may not be worth overthinking.

[–] StormDefence2024@fedia.io 22 points 6 days ago (1 children)

I read the headline and I thought WTF how can GPS malfunction just for one country? and i opened the thread and ya sure enough it's fucking Russia....

[–] stoy@lemmy.zip 15 points 6 days ago

Russia even has a specific satellite to jam GPS over Europe....

[–] elvith@feddit.org 20 points 6 days ago (1 children)
[–] sidebro@lemmy.zip 5 points 6 days ago (1 children)

All close to Russia. How very strange.

[–] elvith@feddit.org 2 points 6 days ago

Let's not jump directly to conclusions!!!11

[–] Gieselbrecht@feddit.org 19 points 6 days ago (1 children)

It is instead advised that people use traditional navigation and orientation methods where possible, or to download maps for offline use in advance.

I mean, downloading a map on Google Maps/Organic Maps/whatever would still not be of any use if you rely on the GPS based Dot on your map, right?

[–] bjoern_tantau@swg-empire.de 12 points 6 days ago (1 children)

You can still get your position on phones based on cellphone towers and wifi networks. Not as precise as GPS but should be good enough for broad navigation.

[–] OwOarchist@pawb.social 20 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (2 children)

And if you're really desperate, you can look at the digital map the same way you'd look at ye olde paper map and determine your location on the map based on street names and nearby landmarks.

I'm old enough to have done that. It's actually not so hard.

[–] sidebro@lemmy.zip 9 points 6 days ago

People should practice this

[–] makeshift0546@lemmy.today 7 points 6 days ago

Malfunction? That's some choice lestern hating language 🀣

[–] Kazel@feddit.org 7 points 6 days ago (3 children)

the world should put ruzzia in to its place once and for all. west ruzzia becomes ukraine/eu and east ruzzia to china

[–] PonyOfWar@pawb.social 15 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (2 children)

I really don't think we want a China the size of Russia with many more natural resources. Nor do I think that Ukraine would want to become a country with a Russian majority.

[–] OwOarchist@pawb.social 2 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

Mongolia can have it.

Again.

[–] Kazel@feddit.org 1 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)
[–] grranibal@lemmy.zip 5 points 6 days ago (1 children)

I think Russia should balkanize so that in a few years we get an influx of Balkan-like memes /j

[–] OwOarchist@pawb.social 1 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Yay, two dozen competing warlords with piles of old Soviet military hardware, some of them including nukes. What could go wrong?

[–] grranibal@lemmy.zip 2 points 6 days ago

Never ending fun :D

[–] Lysergid@lemmy.ml 1 points 6 days ago (2 children)

Neither UA nor EU needs their garbage mindset to dilute ours. Let’s not fall same imperialistic path. Put them in place, isolate, let few of their generations pass. They will either rot down completely to the point they fall apart or wake up

[–] Ooops@feddit.org 6 points 6 days ago

"Put them in their place, isolate them and make them pay. Then they either rot away or wake up..."

*looks at Germany after World War 1* Yeah, that will totally work out.

[–] Kazel@feddit.org 1 points 6 days ago

ok i take that

[–] OwOarchist@pawb.social 6 points 6 days ago (1 children)

in the [Russia-controlled] Kaliningrad region.

While it might be a bit of an international incident for Poland to attack directly, what's stopping them from allowing Ukrainian troops who are already at war with Russia to travel through to Kaliningrad where they could potentially overrun it and claim the entire territory for Ukraine?

Poland wins because this thorn in their side gets removed.

Ukraine wins because they've now further divided Russia's war effort, and now they have a nice bargaining chip when it comes to territorial negotiations. (Russia can have Kaliningrad back when Ukraine gets Crimea back, for example.)

[–] majster@lemmy.zip 5 points 6 days ago

Poland also wins a free nuke probably. Might be the reason why.

[–] Kyrgizion@lemmy.world 6 points 6 days ago (1 children)

This is the kind of thing you do before you breach a border...

[–] RidderSport@feddit.org 10 points 6 days ago

To be fair, RuSSia has been doing this since 2022. So far I believe it's basically just a hybrid-terror attack

[–] SharkAttak@kbin.melroy.org 4 points 6 days ago

But what if anonymous drones were to explode such jamming infrastructures?

[–] Doomsider@lemmy.world 3 points 6 days ago (2 children)

WWIII here we come, gonna take us back to sticks and stones because we are so dumb. I can't wait for nuclear winter because it is so much fun!

[–] Reality@feddit.org 4 points 6 days ago

Monkey paw: the nuclear winter reduces the average temperature to preindustrial levels and stops climate change.

[–] plyth@feddit.org 3 points 6 days ago

That's why we prepared for it with global warming.

[–] testaccount789@sh.itjust.works 2 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Does this only affect GPS, or other GNSSs as well? My phone supports 4, though I have no idea how it combines the data. (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou)
There's also GZSS and IRNSS.

Oh, and there's various augmentation systems.
^All^ ^links^ ^point^ ^to^ ^Wikipedia.^

[–] innermeerkat@jlai.lu 4 points 6 days ago

GNNS jamming affects them all as they all operate on similar frequencies.