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Joining Finland, Norway Says Russia May Have Jammed GPS Signal In Arctic


Northern lights are seen from KNM Helge Ingstad during Trident Juncture exercise in Norway on October 30.
Northern lights are seen from KNM Helge Ingstad during Trident Juncture exercise in Norway on October 30.

The Norwegian Defense Ministry says Russian forces in the Arctic disturbed GPS location signals during a recent large NATO drill in Norway.

Finland's air-navigation services a week ago issued a warning to air traffic due to large-scale GPS interruption in the north of the country.

"We have the same problem [as Finland]. We think it can also be part of a Russian exercise," Norwegian Defense Minister Frank Bakke-Jensen told Reuters on November 13.

Russia's Defense Ministry could not be reached for comment on Norway's claim.

Norway posted a warning similar to that of Finland at the end of October, days before the start of Trident Juncture, NATO's largest military exercise since the Cold War involving 50,000 troops from 31 countries in an area stretching from the Baltic Sea to Iceland.

Finland and Sweden, which are not NATO members, also took part in the drill.

Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipila said on November 11 it was "possible that Russia has been the disrupting party in this. Russia is known to possess such capabilities."

The Kremlin dismissed Finland's allegations on November 12 as groundless.

Finnish President Sauli Niinisto has called for a thorough investigation into the incident.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AP

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