Brussels accuses Moscow of interference after EU chief’s plane GPS jammed UPDATED

The European Commission has confirmed that the GPS system of President Ursula von der Leyen’s airplane was jammed during her flight to Bulgaria on August 31, with the incident now suspected to be the result of Russian interference.

“We can indeed confirm that there was GPS jamming, but the plane landed safely in Bulgaria. We have received information from the Bulgarian authorities that they suspect that this was due to blatant interference by Russia,” an EU spokesperson said on September 1, corroborating earlier media reports, Reuters reports.

The flight was en route to the southern Bulgarian city of Plovdiv when the disruption occurred. In a statement issued by the Bulgarian government, officials said the aircraft lost GPS signal during its approach, prompting air traffic controllers to activate ground-based navigation protocols to ensure a secure landing.

While the Kremlin has not yet responded to requests for comment, the European Union is taking the incident seriously, viewing it as yet another signal of escalating hybrid threats amid Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine.

The EU spokesperson emphasized the broader implications of the event, stating: “The EU will continue to invest in defence spending and in Europe's readiness even more after this incident.”

Von der Leyen was in Bulgaria as part of a four-day tour of EU member states that share borders with Russia. According to the Commission, the president has “seen first-hand the everyday challenges of threats coming from Russia and its proxies.”

The spokesperson concluded that the incident serves to reinforce the EU’s “unshakable commitment to ramp up defence capabilities and support for Ukraine” as the bloc continues to navigate the security fallout of Russia’s three-and-a-half-year-old invasion.

13:52

A suspected Russian interference operation disrupted GPS navigation at Plovdiv Airport, forcing European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to land her plane manually using paper maps. The incident is under scrutiny amid escalating concerns over Russian electronic warfare tactics in Europe.

A jet carrying von der Leyen from Warsaw encountered sudden navigational failure "on approach to the city’s airport," according to three officials briefed on the incident, Financial Times reports.

“The whole airport area GPS went dark,” one of them said. After circling for about an hour, the pilot decided to rely exclusively on analogue cartography to ensure a safe landing. “It was undeniable interference,” another official added.

The Bulgarian Air Traffic Services Authority (BULATSA) confirmed the incident, noting that since February 2022 there has been a marked increase in GPS jamming and spoofing events, which can disrupt navigation systems for both aircraft and ground infrastructure.

Known as jamming (blocking) and spoofing (manipulating) of satellite navigation signals, such tactics were originally reserved for military applications. However, Russia has increasingly employed them against civilian infrastructure, raising concern across EU member states about potential threats to aviation safety.

Von der Leyen had been en route to Plovdiv to meet Bulgarian Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov and visit an ammunition factory as part of her broader tour of EU frontline states supporting Ukraine. The visit is integral to discussions on enhancing the bloc’s defence readiness amid the ongoing conflict.

On the ground, von der Leyen was outspoken in her condemnation of Moscow, describing Russian President Vladimir Putin as “a predator” who must be contained through resolute deterrence. She asserted, “He is a predator. He can only be kept in check through strong deterrence”.

Bulgaria remains one of the EU's key military equipment suppliers to Ukraine, stationed at a strategic crossroads in the conflict. This GPS disruption underscores growing hybrid threats facing Europe as tensions with Russia continue to intensify

Von der Leyen's return flight departed Plovdiv without incident, but the episode illustrates the rising danger posed by electronic interference targeting civilian and diplomatic missions in the region.

By Vafa Guliyeva