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EU President's Flight Faces GPS Jamming: Safety Concerns Rise

9/5/2025

Summary

Story summary

On August 31, 2025, a plane carrying EU President Ursula von der Leyen reportedly faced GPS jamming near Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
The EU initially blamed Russia for "blatant interference," but Bulgarian officials later denied significant disruption.
Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov contradicted earlier claims, stating the plane experienced no major issues.
Analysts noted increased GPS interference incidents near Russian borders since the Ukraine war began in 2022.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte highlighted GPS jamming as a serious aspect of Russia's hybrid warfare strategy.
The incident raised air travel safety concerns in Europe, prompting calls for coordinated EU action.

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Story summary

On August 31, 2025, a plane carrying EU President Ursula von der Leyen reportedly faced GPS jamming near Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
The EU initially blamed Russia for "blatant interference," but Bulgarian officials later denied significant disruption.
Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov contradicted earlier claims, stating the plane experienced no major issues.
Analysts noted increased GPS interference incidents near Russian borders since the Ukraine war began in 2022.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte highlighted GPS jamming as a serious aspect of Russia's hybrid warfare strategy.
The incident raised air travel safety concerns in Europe, prompting calls for coordinated EU action.