Suspected GPS Jamming Targets EU Chief's Flight in Bulgaria

Thu Oct 23 2025 05:32:27 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Ursula von der Leyen's plane faced navigation disruptions attributed to suspected Russian interference, highlighting growing concerns over aviation safety.

The European Commission reported that a plane carrying President Ursula von der Leyen experienced GPS jamming suspected to be from Russian sources while arriving in Bulgaria. Despite the disruption, the flight landed safely at Plovdiv Airport using traditional navigation methods as Bulgaria's authorities confirmed the interference. This incident emphasizes the ongoing security challenges posed by Russia, particularly regarding air traffic safety in the region.

The navigation system of a plane carrying Ursula von der Leyen was disrupted due to suspected Russian interference, the European Commission said.

A spokesperson reported that the GPS jamming happened while the Commission president was about to arrive in southern Bulgaria on Sunday, but she still 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, indicated that von der Leyen's plane had to land at Plovdiv Airport using paper maps.

The European Commission stated that threats and intimidation are a regular component of Russia's hostile actions and emphasized that the incident would reinforce its commitment to ramp up our defence capabilities and support for Ukraine.

The Bulgarian government confirmed that during the flight, the satellite signal transmitting information to the plane's GPS navigation system was neutralised. To ensure the flight's safety, air control services offered an alternative landing method using terrestrial navigation tools.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told the Financial Times that its information was incorrect. Bulgaria's Air Traffic Services Authority noted a notable increase in navigation jamming since January 2022.

Experts have previously warned that Russia was causing disruptions to satellite navigation systems, affecting thousands of civilian flights. Cyrille Rosay, a senior cybersecurity expert at the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), noted that such incidents have worsened since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Moscow has consistently denied allegations of scrambling satellite-based systems used to determine a plane's location.

Von der Leyen was in Bulgaria as part of a tour of eastern EU states to discuss defense readiness. A Commission spokesperson stated she had seen first hand the every day threats from Russia and its proxies during the tour.