The aircraft carrying European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen encountered a GPS blackout while entering Bulgarian airspace on Sunday, a spokesperson confirmed on Monday.
"We can indeed confirm there was a GPS disruption. We are, of course, aware of and, to some extent, accustomed to the threats and intimidation that are part of Russia’s hostile behaviour," said European Commission spokesperson Arianna Podesta.
Bulgarian authorities have informed the European Commission that they suspect Russian involvement in the interference.
President von der Leyen was travelling from Warsaw, Poland, to Plovdiv, Bulgaria’s second-largest city, on Sunday afternoon when the disruption occurred. As the plane approached the airport, the GPS signal across the airfield reportedly "went dark", an insider told the Financial Times.
The pilot was forced to circle above Plovdiv for an hour before relying on analogue aviation charts to execute a safe landing.
Eastern European nations have long raised concerns about Russia interfering with civilian aviation navigation systems. Aircraft in the region have reportedly faced disruptions where navigation systems temporarily go blank or indicate locations significantly different from their actual positions.
Von der Leyen’s visit to Bulgaria is part of a larger tour across EU "frontline countries," including Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Finland, and Romania. The trip aims to emphasise the European Union’s commitment to defence and security.
