VLADIMIR Putin is using a top-secret electronic warfare system to spark chaos in Europe, a military chief has warned.
The weapon has reportedly been jamming GPS technology on flights and ships across the eastern flank of Nato, causing severe disruption.
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A surge in disruption to the GPS guiding system for air and sea traffic has been detected in Finland, the Baltic nations and Poland, Estonian military chief Martin Harem told the Telegraph.
“What we have seen is a malfunctioning of GPS for ships and air traffic,” he said.
“And we really do not know if they [Russia] want to achieve something or just practise and test their equipment.”
He added: “But definitely, nobody should behave like this, especially when you’re at war with a neighbouring country.”
Estonia is the first Nato country to call out the Kremlin over the disruption.
The electronic warfare system is said to be based in Kaliningrad – where Putin made a recent visit in a chilling taunt to the West.
It is a Russian enclave squeezed between Lithuania and Poland that was annexed from Germany in 1945 – and had been a strategic point for the Soviet Union during the Cold War Era.
Experts fear that in case of a war against Nato, Putin would start the attack from Kaliningrad.
According to Western intelligence reports, the fixed jamming system is called Tobol – which looks like a huge dish with an antenna.
Analysts have identified at least seven Tobol complexes in Russia.
The secret weapon transmits signals on the same frequency as the satellite, which prevents connected devices from receiving the legitimate signal, reports the Washington Post.
Electronic warfare expert Dr Thomas Withington said the dish can be directed to disrupt GPS signals in multiple directions – which could be key to protect Kaliningrad as well as Russia from potential incoming missiles.
He argued that the system is rather defensive in nature – and is being used as a “invisible” shield against Nato’s arsenal of satellite-guided missile systems.
“This may surprise some people but I think, ostensibly, it’s defensive,” he told The Telegraph.
“The Russian military is highly concerned by Global navigation satellite system weapons.”
At the moment, however, the secret weapon is being used against commercial airliners and sea vessels.
Recently there have been reports of planes suddenly dropping off tracking sites – likely due to their GPS being disrupted.
Experts warned that this could cause severe damage to the shipping industry, as they could collide due to not being able to see each other on navigation systems.
Dr Withington blasted the Russians’ actions as “deeply irresponsible”.
“It’s affecting the safety of navigation, degrading the safety of navigation,” he said.
“The good news is that aircraft and ships have other means of navigation.
“It obviously is a cause of concern if those systems are not available… so they’re a very valid argument that what the Russians are doing is deeply irresponsible from a navigation point of view.”
It comes as the chances of World War Three continue to rise after the growing concerns about the escalations of regional wars.
It is feared that Putin’s invasion of Ukraine could see Russian troops going beyond Ukrainian borders to launch attacks on Europe, forcing NATO to join the war.
Putin has made dozens of threats to the West since his invasion of Ukraine nearly two years ago.
And recently, a leaked military report revealed what could be the Kremlin top’s step-by-step plan to bring the West to the brink of World War 3 – and it starts in weeks.
The secret docs detail the despot’s possible “path to conflict” which reaches its climax in the summer of 2025 on “Day X” when half a million Nato and Russian soldiers will face each other.
To counter the potential threat from Moscow, the Baltic states have agreed to build a series of bunkers on their borders with Russia and Belarus to protect their forces in the event of an attack.
Estonia is planning to build 600 concrete bunkers with distribution lines – costing more than £55million – on its side of the border with Russia.
Each bunker will be designed to accommodate 10 military troops for extended periods – and will also have life-support equipment.
According to the sketches provided by the Estonian ministry, the wide range of bunkers will consist of T-shaped trenches, camouflaged by foliage.
These trenches are designed to withstand 152mm projectiles as well as direct enemy fire.
In addition to the labyrinth of bunkers, “dragon’s teeth” tank barriers, barriers, minefields and barbed wire would also be stockpiled for installation if need be.
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