Russia's GPS jamming signals shift in its actions that affect people's daily lives – Lithuanian foreign minister

VILNIUS – Russia's jamming of GPS signals indicates a shift towards physical actions that affect people's daily lives, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said on Friday. 

"They (Russia) are moving from the cyber domain, disinformation domain towards a more physical one that affects airplanes, daily lives of peoples, citizens living in our region," he said in a joint news conference with his new Latvian counterpart Baiba Braze in Vilnius.

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania warned last month that Russia's widespread GPS jamming was increasing the threat of aviation incidents. 

Estonia on Wednesday summoned Russia's charge d'affaires to protest the jamming of GPS signals

The Estonian Foreign Ministry said in a press release that Russia's GPS jamming "has caused serious damage to air traffic in our region, the clearest example of which is the suspension of flights between Helsinki and Tartu".

Braze told the news conference in Vilnius that "it's not a new phenomenon but it leaves a certain sort of consequence that is worrying".  

Landsbergis called for sanctions on those responsible for these actions, adding that "it is also very important to send a message to Moscow that they are not operating in a gray zone".

"If they expect us to be silent, if they expect us to be quiet about the things that are happening, they are definitely not going to get that. We see, we know and we act against it," Lithuania's top diplomat said.

Russia's hybrid activities are a growing problem in Europe and beyond. This week, several European countries summoned Russia's diplomats over hybrid and cyber-attacks orchestrated by Moscow or groups linked to it.