Russia is suspected of disrupting the GPS navigation system of a jet carrying European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, according to statements from the European Union. The incident occurred Sunday as von der Leyen traveled from Poland to Bulgaria during a tour of eastern EU countries bordering Russia and Belarus. She was scheduled to discuss defense readiness with leaders in these “front line” states.
Despite losing access to GPS, the aircraft landed safely at Plovdiv Airport in Bulgaria, with pilots relying on paper maps for navigation, as reported by the Financial Times. Von der Leyen was accompanied by Bulgarian Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov during her visit to an arms manufacturer in Sopot before continuing her trip to Lithuania and Romania.
Arianna Podesta, deputy spokesperson for the European Commission, said: “We have received information from the Bulgarian authorities that they suspect that this was due to blatant interference by Russia.” Podesta added: “This incident underlines the urgency of the president’s current trip to frontline member states, where she has seen firsthand the everyday threats from Russia and its proxies.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded by saying Bulgaria’s information was “incorrect.”
The Bulgarian government detailed how air traffic controllers managed the situation: “Air Traffic Services immediately proposed an alternative landing approach using ground-based navigation aids [Instrument Landing System]. The ground-based navigation aids used in Bulgaria are independent of GPS systems. We further clarify that there was no need to divert the flight.”
Without accurate GPS data, there is an increased risk for pilots, including potential collisions or flying into terrain or water.
The European Commission commented on ongoing security concerns: “Threats and intimidation are a regular component of Russia’s hostile actions,” adding that they would “ramp up our defense capabilities and support for Ukraine.”
According to Cyrille Rosay, a senior cybersecurity expert at the European Union Aviation Safety Agency interviewed by BBC News, GPS jamming incidents have increased since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. However, BBC News also noted that no direct link has been proven between Russia and recent jamming events.
Bulgaria’s Air Traffic Services Authority reported a “noticeable increase” in GPS disruptions. Historically aligned with Moscow until 1989, Bulgaria now faces more frequent incidents affecting aviation safety.
In March 2024, a British military plane carrying Defense Secretary Grant Shapps experienced similar jamming while near Russian territory between Poland and Lithuania. In such cases, authentic signals are replaced with false ones showing incorrect locations.
Keir Giles of Chatham House told BBC News: “They have gone from isolated incidents to being normalized. No one has been willing or able” to persuade Moscow to halt what he described as an expanding campaign of interference.
Airlines operating around Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia have reported tens of thousands of jamming incidents over recent years.
