Suspected Russian GPS jamming
A plane carrying European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen was forced to land manually in Bulgaria after suspected Russian interference disabled GPS navigation systems, officials said.
Von der Leyen was en route from Warsaw to Plovdiv on Sunday when her aircraft lost access to satellite guidance near the airport.
According to three officials briefed on the incident, the crew circled for an hour before using paper maps and analogue instruments to complete the landing.
“The whole airport area GPS went dark,” one source said.
The Bulgarian Air Traffic Services Authority later confirmed the disruption, citing a surge in GPS jamming and spoofing since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
European commission response
The Commission said von der Leyen’s plane landed safely but accused Moscow of “blatant interference.”
A spokesperson added: “We are of course aware and used to the threats and intimidation that are a regular component of Russia’s hostile behaviour.”
The Kremlin dismissed the claims.
Growing aviation risks
GPS jamming, once primarily a military tactic, has increasingly been used to disrupt civilian infrastructure.
EU governments have warned the practice risks causing aviation accidents by effectively blinding pilots.
Incidents have become common in the Baltic Sea and eastern Europe, making Europe the most affected region globally.
Thirteen member states recently wrote to Brussels raising concerns.
Visit to frontline state
Von der Leyen was visiting Bulgaria to meet Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov and tour an ammunition factory as part of a trip to frontline EU states focused on boosting defence readiness.
Bulgaria has supplied both Soviet-era equipment and new artillery to Ukraine during the war.
Speaking after the incident, von der Leyen said of Vladimir Putin: “He is a predator. He can only be kept in check through strong deterrence.”
She departed Plovdiv without further issues after completing her visit.
