European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s plane encountered a serious navigation disruption as it prepared to land in Bulgaria. A Commission spokesperson confirmed the disruption, describing it as “GPS jamming” and said Bulgarian authorities suspected “blatant interference by Russia.” The Financial Times, citing unnamed officials, reported that the pilots resorted to manual navigation after satellite signals were neutralized.
Bulgaria’s government later explained: “The satellite signal transmitting information to the plane’s GPS navigation system was neutralised. To ensure the flight’s safety, air control services immediately offered an alternative landing method using terrestrial navigation tools.”
Moscow, however, dismissed the allegations. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told the FT that the information was “incorrect.”
According to the European Commission, such threats are part of Russia’s wider strategy. “Threats and intimidation are a regular component of Russia’s hostile actions,” the spokesperson said, adding that the event reinforced the EU’s determination to strengthen defense and back Ukraine.
EU Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius announced that additional satellites would soon be deployed in low Earth orbit to better detect and counter GPS interference.
The issue is not isolated. The Bulgarian Air Traffic Services Authority noted a “noticeable increase” in jamming incidents since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Tens of thousands of such cases have been reported around the Baltic region.
The risks extend beyond politics. In March 2024, an RAF jet carrying then-UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps suffered a spoofing incident while flying near Russia’s Kaliningrad enclave. Pilots detected false signals but managed to continue safely.
Eastern European ministers have repeatedly warned of the dangers, with Lithuania’s foreign minister likening GPS jamming to “someone turning off your headlights while you’re driving at night.” Airlines such as Finnair have even diverted or turned back flights due to loss of safe navigation.
Aviation bodies share these concerns. In 2024, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) convened a special conference, warning spoofing could “pose significant challenges to aviation safety.”
Still, some regulators play down the risk. The UK’s Civil Aviation Authority stressed that aircraft “do not solely rely on GPS,” arguing that interference near conflict zones is more often a by-product of military activity than deliberate attempts to endanger commercial aviation.
Despite Moscow’s denials, experts and European governments remain convinced of its role. Chatham House analyst Keir Giles said GPS jamming had shifted from rare events to routine: “They have gone from isolated incidents to being normalised. No one has been willing or able to convince Moscow to stop an expanding campaign of interference.”
Von der Leyen was visiting Bulgaria as part of a wider tour of eastern EU states to discuss defense readiness. A Commission spokesperson noted that she had “seen first-hand the everyday threats from Russia and its proxies” during her trip.
