Mon Sep 01 17:06:25 UTC 2025: **Summary:**

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s plane experienced GPS jamming while flying to Bulgaria. The EU suspects Russian interference. While the plane landed safely using ground-based navigation, the incident has heightened concerns about Russian aggression and further reinforced the EU’s commitment to bolstering its defense capabilities and support for Ukraine. This occurred during Von der Leyen’s tour of EU member states bordering Russia.

**News Article:**

**Suspected Russian Jamming Hits EU Chief’s Plane, Raises Security Concerns**

**BRUSSELS – September 1, 2025** – The European Union is investigating a suspected act of Russian interference after the GPS system on European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s plane was jammed en route to Bulgaria on Sunday. The incident occurred as the plane approached Plovdiv, a city in southern Bulgaria.

“We can confirm that there was GPS jamming, but the plane landed safely,” stated an EU spokesperson. “We have received information from the Bulgarian authorities that they suspect that this was due to blatant interference by Russia.”

While the Russian government has yet to respond to the accusations, the incident has sparked serious concerns within the EU. Bulgarian authorities confirmed that the plane lost GPS signal near Plovdiv, forcing air traffic controllers to switch to ground-based navigation systems to ensure a safe landing.

The EU has not specified whether it believes von der Leyen was deliberately targeted. However, the incident has fueled existing tensions and reinforced the bloc’s resolve to strengthen its defense capabilities and continue supporting Ukraine against Russia’s ongoing invasion.

This incident follows previous accusations by Estonia last year of Russian GPS jamming in Baltic airspace. Finnair also had to divert flights due to similar GPS interference.

EU Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius announced plans to increase the number of satellites in low orbit to better detect and combat interference.

The incident took place during von der Leyen’s four-day tour of EU member states bordering Russia, Belarus, and the Black Sea. The EU spokesperson emphasized that this incident would prompt more investment in defense spending and Europe’s overall readiness.

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