Deputy Minister Glebovas: Current Geopolitical Realities Demand Enhanced Transport Resilience and Response to Hybrid Threats

Lithuanian Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications Julijus Glebovas says that current Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) interferences in the Baltic Sea region are increasing the risk of incidents affecting the safe operation of aviation, maritime, and other modes of transport. He calls for a concrete, strong, and united international response.

“The central focus and investments of the European Union and other international organizations are essential to rapidly enhance transport resilience and cybersecurity. Our political will, as well as our legal and technological capabilities, must be strengthened to effectively address the challenges emerging in the region,” said Lithuanian Deputy Minister Julijus Glebovas at the International Transport Forum’s (ITF) high-level discussion “Cybersecurity for Transport Resilience: Safeguarding Critical Infrastructure,” held this week in Leipzig, Germany.

According to Mr. Glebovas, countries around the Baltic Sea have recently experienced a rising number of critical infrastructure damage incidents, along with frequent GNSS interferences—such as GPS signal jamming and location spoofing—that hinder the safe movement of planes, trains, and ships. These interferences can no longer be considered accidental. Reports indicate that during the first four months of 2025, approximately 4,500 aircraft were affected by external disruptions in Lithuanian airspace.

“Lithuania and other neighbouring countries take these recurring incidents in the Baltic Sea very seriously. It is crucial to ensure that those deliberately responsible for such actions are clearly identified and held accountable,” emphasised Deputy Minister Glebovas.

He also noted that these issues will be actively addressed at the upcoming Bucharest Nine Transport Ministers meeting, which includes Nordic colleagues, in Lithuania’s capital, Vilnius, next week, as well as at the EU Transport, Telecommunications, and Energy Council in June in Luxembourg.

Oro Navigacija, AB previously reported a tenfold increase in GNSS interference incidents in Lithuania, comparing data from January 2024 and January 2025. The problem has worsened significantly since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.