Russia jams GPS signal on plane carrying UK defence secretary near its border – BBC

Russia has jammed the GPS signal of a Royal Air Force aircraft carrying UK Defence Secretary John Healey whilst it was flying near the Russian border.

Source: the BBC

Details: The incident took place on 21 May, while Healey was returning to the UK after visiting British troops taking part in NATO exercises near the Russian border in Estonia. The aircraft's GPS navigation was disrupted during the three-hour flight, forcing pilots to switch to an alternative navigation system.

It is currently unclear whether the defence secretary's aircraft was deliberately targeted by the Russian forces. However, journalists note that the government aircraft's flight path could easily be tracked on public flight-monitoring websites.

Background:

• This is not the first such incident. In 2024, Russians similarly jammed the GPS signal of a Royal Air Force aircraft carrying the then UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps.
• In September 2025, a plane carrying European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on a flight to Bulgaria was forced to land using paper maps due to GPS disruptions believed to be caused by Russian interference.
• In 2025, 13 EU countries called on the European Commission to take action over disruptions to Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) services across member states.
• Estonia earlier said that interference with GPS signals constitutes a violation of international law by Russia.
• Meanwhile, Finland has been working on a device designed to counter GPS jamming.

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