Overview

• European Commission officials confirmed GPS jamming affected Ursula von der Leyen’s flight as it approached Plovdiv, with the aircraft landing safely using ground-based aids and analogue maps after circling for roughly an hour.
• Bulgarian air traffic authorities said the GPS signal was lost on approach and guided the crew to land via terrestrial navigation systems, adding there was no need to divert the flight.
• EU and Bulgarian officials said they suspect Russian interference based on information from Sofia, while Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected the allegation as incorrect.
• The incident highlights a wider surge in GPS jamming and spoofing reported since 2022 across the Baltic Sea region and Europe’s eastern flank, prompting member states to press for coordinated EU countermeasures.
• The European Commission said the event underscores ongoing threats and will reinforce efforts to bolster defence readiness and support for Ukraine, with follow-up investigations now underway.