Ongoing disruptions to navigation satellite systems in Estonia and neighboring countries have led to international escalation, as the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), in cooperation with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), has formally notified UN Secretary-General António Guterres of the growing interference and its concerning impact.
The move follows over a year and a half of GPS jamming, particularly affecting Estonian airspace. The Estonian Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority (TTJA) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have repeatedly reached out to Russian authorities, as the interference is believed to come from Russia. However, these appeals have had no results.
In response, TTJA joined forces with Latvia and Lithuania to submit a joint appeal to the ITU, where Russia is also a member. According to Article 45 of the ITU Constitution, “no member state may cause harmful interference to neighboring countries, and must take measures to eliminate such interference”. The ITU expressed support for the Baltic initiative, condemned Russia’s GPS jamming, and notified the UN Secretary-General in a joint letter with the IMO and ICAO.
Although all legal steps were taken against Russia, the inability of international law may not lead to promising results. The limited ability of the UN Secretary-General to influence international conflicts is already an open secret in the world.
