The Russo-Ukrainian war’s expansion into the High North poses electronic warfare challenges for NATO

For years, Russian electronic warfare (EW) techniques such as jamming and spoofing have been interfering with non-military activities in northern Norway and Finland. This was clearly evident in 2017 when Russian EW interfered with NATO exercises in the region (Trident Juncture). In this case, the EW signal emitted by Russia also served as ‘signaling’ to NATO its discontent with the large-scale exercise taking place near the Kola Peninsula – home to Russia’s Northern Fleet and other strategic units. Russian EW units have been on Kola for years and their activity has intensified in 2025. Recently, civilian aviation, satellite navigation, and other GPS users in Norway’s East Finnmark region have been particularly affected by Russian EW activities.