In brief
Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, experienced GPS jamming on her plane, allegedly due to Russian interference, while landing in Bulgaria. This incident, confirmed by Bulgarian authorities, involved the use of traditional navigation techniques, raising alarms over increasing hostile actions attributed to Russia in the region. The European Commission reiterated its commitment to enhancing defense capabilities in response to ongoing threats.
The navigation system of a plane carrying Ursula von der Leyen was disrupted due to suspected Russian interference, the European Commission said.
A spokesperson stated the GPS jamming occurred as the Commission president approached Southern Bulgaria on Sunday, although she successfully landed.
Bulgarian authorities informed the Commission that they suspect this disruption resulted from blatant interference by Russia.
Reportedly, von der Leyen's plane had to land at Plovdiv Airport using paper maps, as confirmed by the Financial Times citing anonymous sources.
The European Commission stated that threats and intimidation are recurrent in Russia's hostile operations, using this incident to reinforce its dedication to enhancing defense capabilities and supporting Ukraine.
The Bulgarian government confirmed that the satellite signal critical to the plane's GPS system was neutralized, and air control services provided alternative landing methods using terrestrial navigation tools.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov disputed the accuracy of this information, labeling it incorrect.
Bulgaria's Air Traffic Services Authority noted a significant rise in navigation jamming incidents since January 2022. Experts have previously warned that Russia has been disrupting satellite navigation systems, affecting thousands of civilian flights.
Cyrille Rosay, a cybersecurity expert at the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), indicated that such cases have intensified since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, although Moscow routinely denies these allegations.
During her visit to Bulgaria, part of a tour of Eastern EU states aimed at discussing defense readiness, von der Leyen witnessed firsthand the everyday threats posed by Russia and its proxies.
