The navigation system of a plane carrying Ursula von der Leyen was disrupted due to suspected Russian interference, the European Commission has said.
A spokesperson said 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, reported that von der Leyen's plane had to land at Plovdiv Airport with the pilots using paper maps.
The European Commission stated that 'threats and intimidation are a regular component of Russia's hostile actions' and that the incident would reinforce its commitment to 'ramp up our defence capabilities and support for Ukraine.'
The EU will deploy additional satellites into low Earth orbit to strengthen its ability to detect GPS interference, according to Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius.
The Bulgarian government confirmed that during the flight, 'the satellite signal transmitting information to the plane's GPS navigation system was neutralised'.
To ensure safety, air control services immediately offered an alternative landing method using terrestrial navigation tools.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated the information was 'incorrect'.
The Bulgarian Air Traffic Services Authority noted a 'noticeable increase' in GPS incidents, including jamming, since February 2022, when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Tens of thousands of jamming incidents have been reported by airlines over the Baltic region in recent years. The Baltic nations of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia are particularly susceptible due to their proximity to Russian territory.
In March 2024, an RAF plane carrying the UK's then-Defence Secretary reported a spoofing incident while flying near the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.
GPS jamming incidents have prompted the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to convene a conference to address the implications for aviation safety.
The issue has raised alarms among eastern European foreign ministers, warning that disrupted GPS signals could lead to air disasters.
However, there are differing views on the seriousness of GPS jamming. The UK's Civil Aviation Authority claimed that aircraft navigation systems do not solely depend on GPS, thus interference does not critically compromise flight safety.
Moscow consistently denies accusations of interference or attacks on aviation, while European experts attribute these events to a broader Kremlin strategy of destabilization.
Despite alternative navigation options, mid-flight jamming increases the risk of accidents for pilots navigating without GPS. Keir Giles, a senior fellow at Chatham House, noted that such interference had become a common issue near Russian airspace.
Von der Leyen's visit to Bulgaria aimed to bolster discussions on defense readiness amid ongoing regional tensions with Russia.
