A spokesperson announced on Monday that a plane carrying European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen experienced GPS interference over Bulgaria, suspected to be linked to a Russian operation. Despite the incident, the plane safely landed at Plovdiv airport, allowing von der Leyen to continue her scheduled tour of European Union nations neighboring Russia and Belarus.
Confirming the GPS jamming, the spokesperson mentioned receiving information from Bulgarian authorities implicating Russia in the interference. This event is part of a series of incidents involving suspected Russian electronic interference with GPS systems in countries bordering Russia, such as Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, affecting flights, ships, and drones.
European Commission President von der Leyen, known for her critical stance against Russian President Vladimir Putin and Moscow’s actions in Ukraine, is currently on a four-day visit to EU border nations with Russia and Belarus. Following the incident, the spokesperson emphasized the importance of von der Leyen’s mission in front-line member states, highlighting the ongoing threats posed by Russia and its allies.
Bulgaria issued a statement detailing the disruption of the GPS signal during von der Leyen’s flight, prompting the pilots to rely on alternative navigation aids for a safe landing at Plovdiv Airport. The interference from Russia has been a growing concern since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with incidents ranging from jamming to spoofing, affecting various regions and modes of transportation.
In response to the heightened electronic interference, countries like Latvia and Finland have reported instances of GPS jamming near their borders with Russia. Aviation authorities have been forced to resort to traditional navigation methods due to the unreliable GPS signals caused by the interference. Despite the disruptions, experts believe that the interference was not specifically targeted at von der Leyen but rather a broader issue affecting multiple countries in the region.