The navigation system of a plane carrying Ursula von der Leyen was disrupted due to suspected Russian interference, the European Commission has said.
A spokesperson stated that the 'GPS jamming' occurred as the Commission president was about to arrive in southern Bulgaria on Sunday, although she landed safely.
They added: 'We have received information from the Bulgarian authorities that they suspect that this was due to blatant interference by Russia.'
The Financial Times, citing unnamed officials, reported that von der Leyen's plane had to land at Plovdiv Airport using paper maps.
The European Commission asserted that 'threats and intimidation are a regular component of Russia's hostile actions' and highlighted this incident as a reinforcement of their commitment to enhancing defense capabilities and support for Ukraine.
The EU plans to deploy additional satellites in low Earth orbit to improve its detection of GPS interference, according to Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius following the episode.
The Bulgarian government confirmed that 'the satellite signal transmitting information to the plane's GPS navigation system was neutralised', and air control services promptly offered alternative landing methods using terrestrial navigation tools.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated to the Financial Times that the information was 'incorrect'.
The Bulgarian Air Traffic Services Authority noted a 'noticeable increase' in GPS incidents, including jamming, since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. Numerous jamming incidents have been reported by airlines operating near the Baltic coast in recent years.
In March 2024, another incident occurred involving a UK RAF plane transporting the then-Defence Secretary Grant Schapps, which faced a spoofing incident while near the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.
In response to the escalating issue, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) convened a conference in 2024 to address spoofing incidents, emphasizing their potential threat to aviation safety.
Eastern European foreign ministers have expressed alarm over the ongoing disruption of GPS signals for aviation, warning that it could lead to an air disaster.
However, some authorities, such as the UK's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), have downplayed the severity of GPS jamming, asserting that aircraft navigation systems do not rely solely on GPS and that such interference usually results from military activity rather than deliberate attempts to disrupt commercial aviation.
Moscow has consistently denied accusations of interference in aviation, and no direct link has been established between Russia and the rising cases of GPS jamming, despite European governments attributing blame to Russia as part of a broader strategy to undermine security in Europe.
While aircraft can utilize alternative navigation systems, mid-flight jamming increases the risk of accidents due to potential miscalculations in positioning.
Keir Giles from Chatham House remarked that such interference has become a 'constant feature' of aviation near Russia, disrupting previously reliable time and positioning services.
During her tour of eastern EU states focused on defense readiness, von der Leyen witnessed firsthand the day-to-day threats from Russia and its proxies.
