A plane carrying European Union Chief Ursula Von Der Leyen was hit by GPS jamming while flying over Bulgarian airspace. According to reports, officials suspect it was an interference by Russia. The incident happened on Monday as her aircraft was approaching Plovdiv Airport during her tour of EU countries bordering Russia and Belarus. Despite the disruption, the plane landed safely.
European Commission spokesperson Eric Mamer Podestà confirmed the interference. “We can indeed confirm that there was GPS jamming. Bulgarian authorities suspect this was due to blatant interference by Russia,” he said.
He added that the incident highlights the importance of Von Der Leyen’s mission. “The president has witnessed firsthand the everyday challenges of threats coming from Russia and its proxies.”
Von Der Leyen is known as a strong critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin and has consistently condemned Russia’s war on Ukraine.
The Bulgarian government also issued a statement confirming that the GPS signal used for navigation was lost as the plane neared Plovdiv Airport.
Despite the suspected attack, Von Der Leyen is continuing her scheduled tour of frontline EU states. The European Commission stressed that the EU will focus more on defence preparedness and investment in response to rising electronic and hybrid threats.
GPS jamming and spoofing incidents have reportedly increased since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
In Estonia, regulators have reported that about 85% of flights are experiencing GPS disruptions. Authorities also warned about a rise in spoofing, where false GPS signals are sent to mislead aircraft or ships.
Shivam Verma is a journalist with over three years of experience in digital newsrooms. He currently works at NewsX, having previously worked for Firstpost and DNA India. A postgraduate diploma holder in Integrated Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, Shivam focuses on international affairs, diplomacy, defence, and politics. Beyond the newsroom, he is passionate about football—both playing and watching—and enjoys travelling to explore new places and cuisines.
