European nations urge UN action against Russian satellite sabotage, media reports

Eight European nations have filed a complaint with the U.N. over Russia’s interference with European satellite communications, according to documents obtained by the Dutch current affairs television program, Nieuwsuur.

Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine, Finland, France, and the Netherlands signed the complaint, urging Russia to stop its alleged sabotage. Seventeen other EU countries and the United Kingdom have expressed support for the initiative. The complaint was submitted to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the top global body overseeing satellite communications.

The disruptions have targeted Eutelsat and SES, Europe’s main satellite providers, which support television, radio, and aviation navigation systems.

Last year, Eutelsat and SES traced the interference to Russian-controlled areas, specifically occupied Crimea and Kaliningrad. The most striking incident occurred when Russian war propaganda suddenly appeared on BabyTV in the Netherlands and other European countries. Similar disruptions affected Ukrainian television channels.

France and Sweden, where the satellite companies are based, have launched direct discussions with Russia at the U.N. in Geneva this week. However, previous attempts to engage Moscow in dialogue over the past year have largely failed.

The interference poses serious risks beyond media disruption.

Russia distorts navigation signals to confuse GPS-guided drones in Ukraine, but this also affects civilian aviation and maritime traffic. Since September 2023, more than 30,000 flights over the Baltic region have suffered interference, endangering safety and economic activity. Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia warned in their complaint of the "serious consequences" these disruptions could have.