A Royal Air Force (RAF) aircraft carrying UK Defence Secretary John Healey experienced GPS signal disruption while flying near the Russian border last week, according to BBC reporting.
Healey was returning to the United Kingdom on Thursday after visiting British troops stationed in Estonia when the incident occurred. During the flight, pilots were reportedly forced to rely on alternative navigation systems after the aircraft’s GPS signal was disabled for part of the three-hour journey.
UK officials believe Russia may have been behind the interference, although it has not been confirmed whether the Defence Secretary was the intended target.
The incident comes a day after reports that two Russian fighter jets had “repeatedly and dangerously” intercepted a Royal Air Force surveillance aircraft over the Black Sea last month.
According to The Times, the flight path of Healey’s aircraft was publicly visible on flight-tracking websites, raising additional security concerns.
During his visit to Estonia, Healey met with British troops participating in NATO military exercises near the Russian border.
