EU chief’s plane hit by suspected Russian GPS jamming, probe ordered: Reports

Days after Russia’s strike on Kyiv hit the European Union’s delegation building, the navigation system of a plane carrying Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, was disrupted due to suspected Russian interference.

The GPS jamming happened while the Commission president was about to arrive in southern Bulgaria on Sunday, but she still landed safely, according to the BBC.

The Bulgarian authorities reportedly suspected interference by Russia in the jamming.

The European Union has launched a probe into the matter, as per reports.

As per The Financial Times, von der Leyen’s plane had to land at Plovdiv Airport with the pilots using paper maps.

As per the Bulgarian government, “the satellite signal transmitting information to the plane’s GPS navigation system was neutralised” during the flight.

To ensure the flight’s safety, air control services immediately offered an alternative landing method using terrestrial navigation tools, according to reports.

However, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told the FT that its information was “incorrect”.

According to her social media handle, on Sunday, Leyen was visiting an ammunition factory in Bulgaria to discuss defence readiness.