In This Article

  • EU Commission President's Plane Targeted by Suspected Russian GPS Jamming
  • Tour of Eastern EU States Focuses on Defense Readiness Amid Rising Threats
  • Bulgarian Authorities Confirm GPS Signal Neutralization, Provide Alternative Navigation
  • European Commission Condemns Russian Tactics, Pledges Strengthened Defense Commitment
  • Pattern of Russian GPS Disruptions: EASA Expert Notes Escalation Post-Ukraine Invasion
  • Bulgarian Air Traffic Authority Reports Surge in Navigation Jamming Since 2022

Key Takeaways

  • EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's plane experienced GPS jamming while approaching southern Bulgaria, suspected to be caused by Russian interference.
  • The incident highlights Russia's ongoing disruption of satellite navigation systems, affecting thousands of civilian flights since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
  • The European Commission views the incident as part of Russia's 'hostile actions' and is committed to ramping up its defence capabilities and support for Ukraine.
  • Bulgaria's Air Traffic Services Authority has reported a 'notable increase' in navigation jamming since January 2022, corroborating expert warnings about Russia's interference.
  • The pilots were able to land safely using alternative navigation methods, mitigating the impact of the GPS jamming.

The European Commission has confirmed that a plane carrying President Ursula von der Leyen experienced GPS jamming while approaching southern Bulgaria, suspected to be caused by Russian interference.

The incident occurred on Sunday as von der Leyen was part of a tour to eastern EU states to discuss defence readiness. According to the Commission, the plane's navigation system was disrupted, but the pilots were able to land safely at Plovdiv Airport using alternative navigation methods.

The Bulgarian government confirmed that the satellite signal transmitting information to the plane's GPS navigation system was neutralized during the flight. To ensure the flight's safety, air control services immediately offered an alternative landing method using terrestrial navigation tools.

The European Commission has stated that "threats and intimidation are a regular component of Russia's hostile actions" and that this incident will reinforce its commitment to "ramp up our defence capabilities and support for Ukraine".

This is not an isolated incident, as experts have previously warned that Russia has been causing disruption to satellite navigation systems, affecting thousands of civilian flights. According to Cyrille Rosay, a senior cybersecurity expert at the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), such cases have worsened since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Moscow has regularly denied involvement in scrambling satellite-based systems, which are used to determine a plane's location. However, Bulgaria's Air Traffic Services Authority has reported a "notable increase" in navigation jamming since January 2022.

Von der Leyen's visit to Bulgaria was part of a tour to discuss defence readiness, during which she witnessed firsthand the everyday threats from Russia and its proxies.

Tags:

#GPS interference #Russian aggression #Ursula von der Leyen