After initial claims of Russian interference, Bulgarian authorities downplay the incident, citing backup navigation systems and no confirmed GPS loss — raising questions over Europe’s growing vulnerability to electronic warfare.
BRUSSELS | Reports that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s chartered jet was the target of Russian GPS jamming gripped Europe earlier this week. But what began as a potential geopolitical flashpoint has since unraveled into a more routine aviation disturbance.
On Sunday, von der Leyen’s plane, returning from a tour of Europe’s “front-line states,” reportedly circled Plovdiv Airport in Bulgaria for nearly an hour after losing GPS signals. Initial reports, including one from the Financial Times, suggested the crew resorted to paper maps before landing, sparking accusations of “blatant interference” by Russia.
By midweek, however, Bulgarian officials and aviation experts cast doubt on that narrative. Flight-tracking service Flightradar24 data showed no total GPS loss, with the flight delayed just nine minutes. Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov downplayed Russian culpability, calling the episode a “routine glitch” linked to regional fallout from the war in Ukraine.
Backup Systems Prevented Danger
Bulgarian authorities confirmed the aircraft relied on its Instrument Landing System (ILS) — ground-based radio beams that guide aircraft independently of satellites. “No paper maps were required,” officials emphasized, adding that GPS jamming is disruptive but not catastrophic.
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) echoed this, noting that GPS disruptions, while serious, have not directly caused a commercial jet accident. Aviation analysts stressed that aircraft are equipped with multiple redundant systems.
EU Officials Caught Between Caution and Politics
Despite Bulgaria’s reassurance, Brussels has not dismissed the possibility of malign interference. Commission spokesperson Paula Pinho said there was “considerable and notable” GPS jamming across Europe since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The EU’s air safety agencies are investigating, while Space Commissioner Andrius Kubilius pledged to deploy additional satellites and enhance interference monitoring. In May, eight EU states warned that Russia and Belarus were conducting “systematic hybrid attacks” through GPS disruption.
The incident, though downplayed technically, highlights Europe’s vulnerability to electronic warfare and spectrum interference. Poland alone registered more than 2,700 jamming cases in January 2025, underscoring the scale of the threat.
Defense analysts argue that while von der Leyen’s plane was never in real danger, the political optics of targeting Europe’s top official are significant. As electronic disruptions increase along NATO’s eastern flank, the EU faces growing pressure to invest in resilient navigation, cyber defenses, and redundant systems.
For now, the von der Leyen episode appears to be more nuisance than crisis. But it serves as a stark reminder that Europe’s skies are increasingly contested — not only by aircraft but by invisible electronic warfare.
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-- By James W. Thomas, Leticia Jacobs, Andre Leday
John James contributed to reporting.
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