A Russian spy vessel sails near Kiel, German waters.
Over the past few months, there've been recurring GPS disturbances in the Baltic Sea zone. Officially, Germany points the finger at Moscow for this electromagnetic spectrum chaos. A Russian intelligence vessel, dubbed the "Vasili Tatishchev," has surfaced near Germany's coastline.
As per news outlets, this Russian spy ship of the Vishnya class has taken up a position midway between Fehmarn and the Kiel Lighthouse on the Kiel Canal. According to "Kieler Nachrichten," this ship, stationed in Kaliningrad, has been tailing the NATO exercise known as "Baltic Operations." This long-standing, annual exercise has been on since 1971, with this year's event running from June 7 to June 20.
The "Vasili Tatishchev," apparently, lingers beyond the territorial boundaries of both Germany and Denmark. A representative of the German Federal Police told the newspaper that no breaches of maritime regulations have been observed so far. It remains unclear what the ship's actual mission is. Some speculate that it may be intercepting communications in the region, given its equipped with advanced antennas and radar domes.
Estonia brands this as a "covert assault."
As per "Kieler Nachrichten," the "Vasili Tatishchev" is one of the Russian Vishnya class reconnaissance ships, constructed in Poland from 1985 to 1988. Each vessel is approximately 94 meters long and has a displacement of roughly 3100 tons. The "Vasili Tatishchev" was launched in 1988 and is among two such ships in the Baltic Fleet. Initially, the vessel was named Pelengator until January 2000.
Likewise, recently, there have been GPS disruptions in the Baltic Sea region. Finland's Finnair was forced to re-route several flights from Helsinki to Tartu, Estonia, due to GPS disturbances that impeded landing approaches. Estonia alleges this instability is the fault of its neighbor, Russia. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna spoke of a "covert assault."
Similarly, Germany's Defense Ministry has voiced its worries. According to an NDR spokesperson in early May, these consistent disruptions are likely of Russian origin and originate from the Kaliningrad Oblast, affecting the electromagnetic spectrum.
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The "Vasili Tatishchev," believed to be engaging in espionage activities, has been patrolling the Baltic Sea, causing GPS disturbances that have led nations like Estonia and Finland to accuse Russia of a covert assault. Despite being stationed near Germany's coastline, the Russian spy ship has not violated any maritime regulations according to German authorities.
