A plane carrying European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was targeted by GPS jamming while attempting to land in Bulgaria on Sunday, according to a European Commission spokesperson.
Bulgarian authorities suspect Russia was behind the interference, said Deputy Chief Spokesperson Arianna Podestà. While the Kremlin has denied any involvement — with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov telling The Financial Times the report was “incorrect” — the incident has raised further concerns about Russian hybrid warfare tactics.
Despite the jamming, the aircraft landed safely at Plovdiv International Airport in southern Bulgaria. A source familiar with the situation told CNN that pilots resorted to using paper maps to complete the landing.
The flight was part of von der Leyen’s tour of Eastern European member states aimed at reinforcing EU support for Ukraine. Von der Leyen has been a vocal advocate for Kyiv since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, urging EU nations to bolster military and financial aid.
“This incident underlines the urgency of the president’s current trip to frontline Member States, where she has seen first-hand the everyday threats from Russia and its proxies,” Podestà said.
The spokesperson confirmed the flight was a charter and added it remains unclear whether von der Leyen’s plane was directly targeted.
The European Commission is seeking further information from Bulgarian authorities, while CNN has also reached out for comment.
GPS Jamming Part of Russia’s Hybrid Warfare Strategy
Sunday’s incident is the latest in a pattern of suspected Russian interference with global navigation systems — part of what analysts describe as a broader strategy of hybrid warfare.
Scandinavian and Baltic countries have long reported persistent GPS disruptions near their borders, believed to originate from Russian territory or naval operations. A recent six-month study by researchers in Poland and Germany concluded that Russia has been jamming GPS signals using assets based in Kaliningrad and a so-called “shadow fleet” of ships.
The EU has previously sanctioned several Russian-linked individuals and entities believed to be responsible for similar activities.
“This will further reinforce our unshakable commitment to ramp up our defense capabilities and support for Ukraine,” the European Commission said.
A Tour Meant to Demonstrate Unity
Von der Leyen’s visit to Bulgaria came at the tail end of a multi-country trip through Eastern Europe, intended to show solidarity as the region faces growing security risks from Russia.
Her itinerary included stops in Latvia and Finland on Friday, Estonia on Saturday, and Poland and Bulgaria on Sunday. She concluded the tour in Lithuania and Romania on Monday.
Speaking from Sofia shortly after landing — but before news of the GPS jamming became public — von der Leyen called for continued urgency in the EU’s response to Russia.
“Putin has not changed, and he will not change,” she said. “He is a predator. He can only be kept in check through strong deterrence.”
