EU Accuses Russia of Jamming GPS on Von der Leyen’s Flight to Bulgaria
A plane carrying European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to Bulgaria was hit with suspected Russian GPS interference on Sunday, according to the European Union.
“We can indeed confirm that there was GPS jamming, but the plane landed safely in Bulgaria. We have received information from the Bulgarian authorities that they suspect that this was due to blatant interference by Russia,” a European Commission spokesperson said on Monday.
The incident, the EU said, highlights the urgent need for Europe to strengthen its defence and security. “We are, of course, aware and used to the threats and intimidations that are a regular component of Russia’s hostile behaviour, and of course, this will only reinforce further our unshakeable commitment to ramp up defence capabilities and support for Ukraine,” the spokesperson added.
Bulgaria’s government confirmed the disruption, noting that “the satellite signal used for the aircraft’s GPS navigation was disrupted.” It added that “as the aircraft approached Plovdiv Airport, the GPS signal was lost.”
When asked whether von der Leyen’s aircraft was deliberately targeted, the EU spokesperson said: “I think the question is best asked to the Russians if indeed it is them who have carried it out.”
The Kremlin has denied the accusation. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told the Financial Times that the information was “incorrect.”
Bulgarian aviation authorities have noted that “since February 2022, there has been a notable increase in [GPS] jamming and recently spoofing occurrences. These interferences disrupt the accurate reception of [GPS] signals, leading to various operational challenges for aircraft and ground systems.”
