Russia Accused of GPS Jamming Incident Involving Ursula von der Leyen’s Plane
Brussels on Monday accused Russia of a “blatant” interference attack on Ursula von der Leyen’s plane, after GPS jamming forced the crew to land in Bulgaria using paper maps, reports 24brussels.
Arianna Podestà, the European Commission’s deputy chief spokesperson, confirmed that GPS jamming occurred, but emphasized that the plane landed safely in Bulgaria.
“We have received information from the Bulgarian authorities that they suspect this was due to blatant interference by Russia,” Podestà noted, highlighting that the Bulgarian authorities would conduct the investigation as the incident happened within their airspace.
The Bulgarian government indicated that the GPS signal on von der Leyen’s chartered flight “disappeared” during its approach to Plovdiv airport.
“To ensure the safety of the flight, air traffic services immediately proposed an alternative landing approach using ground-based navigation aids,” the statement added.
“The ground-based navigation aids used in Bulgaria are independent of GPS systems and allow safe and reliable landings.”
When asked whether von der Leyen herself was the target of the jamming, Podestà suggested that the question should be directed at the Russians.
The Financial Times reported that a Russian interference attack had compelled the Commission president’s plane to land at Plovdiv using paper maps.
The incident occurs just a week after Russian missile strikes severely damaged the EU delegation in Kyiv. In recent weeks, Moscow has intensified its attacks on Ukraine, ignoring Western calls for a ceasefire and a US-led initiative for a diplomatic resolution to the ongoing conflict.
Following the incident, von der Leyen, who is concluding a four-day visit to “frontline” EU countries, denounced Vladimir Putin as a “predator” and criticized the Russian leader’s “proxies” for instigating cyber and hybrid attacks throughout the EU.
UPDATE: The story has been updated with a statement from Bulgaria’s government.
