Yandex on Monday rolled out updates to its Maps service aimed at reducing navigation errors in areas where GPS signals are weak or unreliable, following months of user complaints in major cities like Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Disruptions to satellite navigation have become increasingly common in Russia as the military deploys anti-drone systems to counter Ukrainian attacks that rely on GPS guidance. Those measures have included signal jamming and spoofing, particularly near sensitive locations such as the Kremlin, causing widespread problems for civilian navigation.
The disruptions have led to sudden and inaccurate location shifts affecting drivers and users of Yandex’s ride-hailing app, sometimes placing them dozens of kilometers from their actual location and making it difficult to order taxis or plan routes.
To address the problem, Yandex introduced a new “Step-by-Step” navigation mode that provides users with a fixed route and simplified instructions rather than relying on continuous real-time location tracking.
“This prevents ‘teleportation’ and helps users stay on track during signal issues,” Artyom Zvyagin, a Yandex product manager, told the business newspaper Kommersant.
Following the update, if a GPS signal is lost or becomes unreliable, the map will no longer automatically reposition users to incorrect locations, Zvyagin said.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
