Swedish authorities say Russia deliberately interfered with the country’s satellite networks shortly after Sweden joined NATO earlier this year. The Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS) detailed the disruptions in a letter dated June 4 sent to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in Geneva.
PTS asked the ITU’s Radio Regulations Board to take up the matter at a meeting beginning Monday. According to the letter, Swedish officials filed an initial complaint to Russian authorities on March 21, only two weeks after Sweden’s NATO accession — a step that significantly increased the alliance’s presence in the Baltic Sea region.
Authorities say the interference is part of a wider pattern of Russian actions aimed at degrading European communications since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. European satellite operators have reported months of radio-frequency interference attributed to Russian sources, causing broadcast interruptions and, in some cases, the replacement of regular programming with violent content on children’s channels.
Swedish investigators identified the interference as originating from Russia and Crimea and targeting three separate Sirius satellite networks located at the 5 degrees east orbital slot — a key position for satellite services in the Nordic countries and eastern Europe.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson told Bloomberg that the disruptions are “serious” and appear to form part of broader Russian hybrid actions directed at Sweden and other countries. He added that Sweden is coordinating with partners to determine an appropriate response.
Kristersson said the disruptions also affected television broadcasts in Ukraine that relied on the targeted satellite, owned by a Swedish company he did not name. Sweden has also seen a series of cyberattacks earlier this year that Swedish authorities suspect originated in Russia.
Other European states have lodged similar complaints. France, the Netherlands and Luxembourg have all notified the ITU and requested that the interference be discussed at the Radio Regulations Board meeting. In April, Estonia and Finland reported GPS jamming that disrupted flights and maritime navigation, incidents seen as probing NATO members’ technological resilience.
The European Union raised concerns about these kinds of disruptions at an ITU Council session on June 10, noting that several ITU member states had recently suffered harmful interference affecting satellite signals, including GPS.
These events underscore growing tensions between Russia and NATO members. As Sweden and other countries deepen their ties with NATO, experts warn they may face increased pressure through various forms of electronic and cyber interference, complicating international security and diplomacy.
The upcoming ITU meeting will be closely watched as governments and regulators seek ways to deter and respond to harmful interference with critical satellite and navigation services. How the international community addresses these alleged Russian activities will shape protections for vital communications infrastructure going forward.
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