Russian interference with Swedish satellite network

Russia
Russian signals have disrupted Swedish satellite networks: "Seriously"

Nora Fernstedt,

Noam Bertling

Updated 21.30 | Published 20.45

Russia is behind interference with Swedish satellite networks, Swedish authorities believe, according to Bloomberg.

Among other things, television images from the Russian Victory Day parade on May 9 are said to have been broadcast.

"These disruptions are, of course, serious and can be seen as part of Russian hybrid actions aimed at, among other things, Sweden," says Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson in a comment.

It is the Swedish Post and Telecommunications Authority, PTS, that discovered the disturbances that were traced to Russia and the occupied Crimean peninsula.

The authority has now sent a letter to the UN agency International Telecommunication Union and asked that the disturbances be investigated, reports Ekot.

It is a Swedish satellite network that has been exposed to the interference, and it has affected television broadcasts in Ukraine.

 

Ulf Kristersson calls the disturbances "serious".
1 / 2Photo: Lotte Fernvall

Started when Sweden joined NATO

The disturbances must have taken place between March 4 and May 9. They thus began two weeks after Sweden became a member of NATO.

On the one hand, the disturbances must have caused broadcasts to be interrupted, but sometimes other material must have been broadcast over the original broadcast.

Ulf Kristersson writes in a comment to Aftonbladet that it is true that a satellite owned by a Swedish company has been exposed to jamming.

"TV broadcasts from the current satellite have been affected in Ukraine. These disruptions are, of course, serious and can be seen as part of Russian hybrid actions aimed at, among other things, Sweden. We are working together with other countries to meet this action. The incident has been reported by Sweden to the ITU, a UN body where matters of radio communication are coordinated".

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says he is not aware of the disturbances, writes Bloomberg.

Footnote: In an earlier version of the article, there was information, with reference to Ekot, that television images in Sweden had been eliminated. It is true that a Swedish satellite has been exposed to interference. TV broadcasts from the current satellite have been affected in Ukraine.

 

Television images are said to have been replaced with images from the traditional victory parade in Russia.