Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission•©️RTL
Plovdiv, 1 September 2025.- The aircraft carrying Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, experienced GPS interference in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, on Sunday 31 August 2025. Bulgarian and European authorities suspect Russia, in a context of growing tensions related to the war in Ukraine
Today, the aircraft's GPS signal has disappeared, forcing pilots to use analogue navigation instruments to land safely. The President was on a tour to reaffirm the European Union's solidarity with the neighbouring countries of Russia and Belarus.
Prior to Bulgaria, Ursula von der Leyen had visited Latvia, Finland, Estonia and Poland. As Plovdiv approached, the GPS signal suddenly disappeared, forcing the aircraft to regain altitude and navigate with traditional instruments for about an hour.
According to expert Xavier Tytelman, this type of interference, already observed in the Baltic Sea, can compromise air navigation. The Bulgarian authority confirms that these incidents have increased since the beginning of the Ukrainian conflict.
European Commission spokesman Arianna Podesta said:
» We can confirm that there was GPS interference. The Bulgarian authorities informed us that they suspected that this was due to Russia's blatant interference. »
In Bulgaria, Ursula von der Leyen visited an ammunition plant for Ukraine. At the same time, Kiev's allies are discussing security guarantees to prevent further Russian attacks.
The incident highlights the risks to air navigation in Eastern Europe and the importance for the European Union to strengthen its safety arrangements while continuing to support Ukraine.
R.J.
