Spanish Jet with Defence Minister Faces GPS Interference Near Russia

A Spanish military jet carrying Defence Minister Margarita Robles experienced GPS interference on Wednesday while approaching Russia's Kaliningrad exclave en route to Lithuania, confirmed the Defence Ministry. The plane also carried relatives of Spanish airmen involved with a new NATO air defence mission.

The NATO mission was initiated after drones violated Polish airspace. Last week, the Spanish unit, named Vilkas, intercepted eight Russian aircraft over the Baltic Sea, according to the Defence Ministry. Robles was scheduled to meet her Lithuanian counterpart, Dovile Sakaliene, at the Siauliai airbase on Wednesday.

This incident mirrors an earlier one where European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's aircraft faced GPS jamming while heading to Bulgaria. Bulgaria claims Russian interference, an accusation previously made by Estonia and Finland, though Russia denies the allegations. Modern aircraft, equipped with multiple navigation systems, typically manage such disturbances.

(With inputs from agencies.)