A suspected Russian interference attack disabled GPS navigation services at a Bulgarian airport and forced a plane carrying European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to land at Plovdiv on Sunday using paper maps, the Financial Times reported, citing three officials familiar with the matter.
While approaching Plovdiv’s airport on Sunday afternoon, the plane carrying von der Leyen was deprived of electronic navigational aids, the Bulgarian Air Traffic Services Authority confirmed.
GPS ‘jamming’ or ‘spoofing’, which disrupts access to the satellite-based navigation system, is a tactic Russia has previously used to wreak havoc with civilian life.
The technique has historically been employed by military and intelligence services to protect sensitive locations.
‘The whole airport area GPS went dark,’ said one of the officials.
The pilot was forced to circle the airport for an hour before finally making the decision to land the jet manually – using only analogue maps to navigate.
‘It was undeniable interference,’ they added.
The Kremlin and European Commission have been approached for comment.
President of European Commission Ursula von der Leyen speaks during a joint press conference with Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nauseda in Lithuania on Monday, September 1, 2025
GPS ‘jamming’ or ‘spoofing’, which disrupts access to the satellite-based navigation system, is a tactic Russia has previously used to wreak havoc with civilian life
In a statement following the suspected sabotage, the Bulgarian Air Traffic Services Authority said that there had been a ‘notable increase’ in such incidents since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
‘These interferences disrupt the accurate reception of [GPS] signals, leading to various operational challenges for aircraft and ground systems,’ the authority said.
This is a developing story. More to follow.
