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A plane carrying European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen experienced GPS interference on its approach to Bulgaria over the weekend, raising suspicions of Russian involvement, according to EU and Bulgarian officials.
The incident occurred Sunday as von der Leyen was flying into Plovdiv Airport. The European Commission confirmed Monday that the aircraft lost access to satellite navigation signals but was able to land safely with the assistance of ground controllers.
"We can confirm there was jamming of the GPS system," a Commission spokesperson told reporters in Brussels. "Bulgarian authorities suspect this resulted from deliberate Russian interference. Such threats are unfortunately a recurring feature of Moscow's hostile conduct. This will only strengthen our determination to bolster European defense and continue support for Ukraine."
The Bulgarian government issued its own statement, saying the satellite signal guiding the aircraft was "neutralized" during its descent. Controllers quickly switched to terrestrial navigation tools to ensure a safe landing.
Reports in the Financial Times suggested that the disruption forced the crew to rely on traditional charts. The Kremlin dismissed those claims as "incorrect," with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov denying Russian involvement.
Officials noted that jamming and "spoofing" of satellite systems, methods that disrupt or falsify GPS signals, have become increasingly common since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The Bulgarian Air Traffic Services Authority said such incidents have posed operational challenges for both civilian and military flights.
A cybersecurity expert at the European Union Aviation Safety Agency told the BBC that interference has escalated in recent years, warning it poses risks to thousands of flights across the continent.
Von der Leyen was in Bulgaria as part of a wider tour of eastern EU states focused on defense readiness and military production. She visited the country's largest arms manufacturer alongside Bulgarian Prime Minister Rosen Jelyazkov, emphasizing the bloc's commitment to countering Russian aggression.
While the plane landed without incident, EU officials stressed that the episode underscores the urgency of strengthening European airspace resilience and investing in security technologies.
