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Finland rattled over GPS jamming during NATO exercises, summons Russian ambassador

Kremlin Spokesman previously said that Moscow has no information about GPS failures during NATO’s military drills whatsoever, nor does it have anything to do with the matter
Russian Ambassador to Finland, Pavel Kuznetsov (left) Lehtikuva/Martti Kainulainen/via REUTERS
Russian Ambassador to Finland, Pavel Kuznetsov (left)
© Lehtikuva/Martti Kainulainen/via REUTERS

HELSINKI, November 19. /TASS/. The Finnish Foreign Ministry on Monday raised its concern to Russian Ambassador to Finland, Pavel Kuznetsov, over what Helsinki calls a "GPS disruption" during NATO’s Exercise Trident Juncture, which both Finland and Norway accuse Moscow of causing, the press service of the Finnish Foreign Ministry said.

"Concern has been expressed to the Russian Ambassador, summoned to the Foreign Ministry, over a GPS disruption which consequently endangered civil aviation. We expect additional information and responsible behavior from Russia," according to the statement.

Finland’s top diplomat Timo Soini had previously talked about summoning the Russian envoy. Additionally, the Norwegian Foreign Ministry raised the issue of the GPS ‘disruption’ with the Russian Embassy on Friday.

The Norwegian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that Russia had disturbed GPS signals during NATO’s war games. "Between October 6 and November 7, the jamming of GPS signals was recorded," it added, blaming Russian forces on the Kola Peninsula for the disturbance. The Finnish Foreign Ministry said that this past Thursday that Russia had been responsible for GPS jamming.

Earlier, Finland’s Prime Minister Juha Sipila had not written off Moscow as being potentially behind the ‘GPS disruption’. Meanwhile, the country’s President Sauli Niinist· believes that it is important to carry out an investigation first.

Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov previously said that Moscow has no information about GPS failures during NATO’s military drills whatsoever, nor does it have anything to do with the matter.