“We confirm that GPS interference occurred,” Arianna Podesta, a spokesperson for the European Commission (EC), said on 1/9. “Bulgarian authorities suspect Russia was behind the GPS disruption, but it's unclear whether the plane was specifically targeted.”
Bulgarian officials earlier reported that von der Leyen's plane experienced GPS interference, disabling the aircraft’s navigation system as it approached Plovdiv Airport.
“To ensure the flight’s safety, air traffic control immediately instructed the pilot to use an alternative landing method with ground-based navigation,” the Bulgarian government said in a statement.
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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's plane at Mihail Kogalniceanu, Romania on 1/9. Photo: Reuters |
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's plane at Mihail Kogalniceanu, Romania on 1/9. Photo: Reuters
The plane landed safely in Plovdiv without changing its flight path. The Financial Times, citing a source familiar with the matter, reported that “the entire GPS system around the airport was disabled.” “After circling the airport for about an hour, the pilot decided to use paper maps to land,” the source added.
The Bulgarian Air Traffic Control Authority reported a significant increase in GPS interference incidents since 2/2022, when the Russia-Ukraine conflict began. “This interference disrupts accurate GPS signal reception, creating challenges for aircraft operations and ground systems,” the agency said.
According to the Financial Times, GPS interference has also increased significantly in the Baltic Sea region and Eastern European countries near Russia in recent years, affecting aircraft, ships, and individuals using satellite navigation.
“We have recorded many such GPS interference and spoofing incidents, particularly in the eastern part of the alliance,” the EC spokesperson said. “Europe is the most affected area by this activity.”
Russia has not commented on the information from the EC and Bulgarian officials. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov called the Financial Times report “inaccurate.”
Von der Leyen is on a tour of seven countries on the eastern flank of the European Union (EU), considered the bloc's frontline states, to discuss defense preparedness in response to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. After concluding her visit to Bulgaria, the EC president’s plane departed Plovdiv without incident.
Nguyen Tien (AFP, FT)
