June 21, 2024 at 03:04AM
Sweden’s satellites have faced “harmful interference” from Russia since joining NATO in March. The Swedish Post and Telecom Authority confronted Russia on March 21 and escalated complaints to the International Telecommunications Union on June 4. The issue impacts not only Sweden but several ITU member states. The EU warned about this for two years, with concerns preceding Russia’s war against Ukraine.
From the meeting notes, it appears that Sweden has reported “harmful interference” from Russia on its satellites following its recent affiliation with NATO. The Swedish Post and Telecom Authority confronted Russia about the interference on March 21, two weeks after joining NATO, and subsequently escalated complaints to the International Telecommunications Union. The impact is focused on three Sirius satellites providing digital TV services in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe. Additionally, the European Union has noted similar interferences affecting satellite signals in multiple member states, although it does not directly accuse Russia. The EU also referenced Russia’s war against Ukraine in its concerns. Furthermore, the Kremlin’s Sandworm cyber-crew is attributed to attacks on water plants and increased efforts to compromise the French government during an election campaign.