Romania is currently facing a new type of silent threat that comes not with soldiers or tanks, but through invisible waves in the air. These are attacks on the country’s GPS systems.
Weekly Attacks on GPS Systems
GPS, or Global Positioning System, helps people and machines know their exact location using satellite signals. It’s the same technology that helps you find directions on your phone or helps planes fly safely in the sky.
But according to Romania’s military leadership, these signals are being tampered with by a neighboring country — the Russian Federation. This action is called “GPS spoofing.” It means someone is tricking GPS devices by sending them fake signals, which can lead to confusion and dangerous mistakes. These fake signals make it seem like someone or something is in a different location than it actually is.
These kinds of attacks are not rare. In fact, Romania reports that such signal spoofing is happening almost every week. The danger is real because the signals from satellites are very weak by the time they reach Earth, and it doesn’t take much power to interfere with them. If a GPS signal is wrong, it can mislead airplanes, ships, and even farmers using tractors with GPS systems.
Sea Mines and Underwater Threats
Besides the GPS spoofing, Romania is also facing another dangerous problem in the Black Sea. Floating sea mines have been appearing in its waters. These mines are explosive devices that float near the surface or underwater and are designed to damage or destroy ships. Since the beginning of the war between Russia and Ukraine, Romania has found and dealt with 122 such mines.
These mines do not stay in one place. They drift with the sea currents and pose a risk to fishing boats, cargo ships, and even passenger ferries. A single sea mine can cause a huge explosion if a ship hits it. That’s why the discovery of these mines is treated very seriously by Romania’s navy and coast guard.
There is also concern about threats to underwater infrastructure. These are the important things placed under the sea, like internet cables, gas pipelines, and communication lines. Damaging them could cut off communications or energy supplies, creating big problems for everyday life in the country.
All these dangers — GPS spoofing, drifting sea mines, and underwater threats — are making things tense in Romania. The military says these problems are mostly caused by Russia and continue to make the region unsafe and uncertain.
New Military Laws for Protection
In response to these dangers, Romania has taken strong steps to protect its land and airspace. New laws have recently been approved that give the military more power to act, even in times of peace. Before these changes, the army could not shoot down enemy drones or missiles unless a state of emergency was officially declared.
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Now, things are different. With the new laws, Romanian forces can defend the country more quickly. If a foreign drone enters Romanian airspace without permission, it can be shot down immediately. These laws allow the army to take action without waiting for a formal emergency. It means better protection for people and infrastructure.
Also, airspace protection can now include help from NATO forces. NATO is a group of countries, including Romania, that have agreed to defend each other. If needed, NATO aircraft can assist Romania in guarding its skies against any danger.
These changes fill a big gap in the law. Before, even if a drone from another country flew over Romanian territory, the military couldn’t do anything unless higher authorities declared a state of emergency. This delay could have allowed threats to cause damage or injury. With the new laws in place, Romania can act fast and prevent disasters.
Another important fact is Romania’s long border with Ukraine. The border is about 800 kilometers long. That’s a huge area to protect. Even with modern air defense systems, no country can cover every inch of such a large space all the time. That’s why fast action, better laws, and strong cooperation with allies are so important.
Romania is dealing with many serious challenges — from digital attacks in the air to physical dangers in the sea. The country is working hard to stay safe and ready for whatever might come.
