GPS jamming forced the crew of a chartered jet carrying European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to rely on ground-based navigation aids—and, according to officials, paper charts—when approaching Plovdiv, Bulgaria, on Sunday, 31 August 2025.
Bulgarian authorities suspect Russia was behind the interference; the Kremlin denies involvement. The aircraft landed safely and Von der Leyen continued her tour of EU frontline states.
Bulgarian authorities suspect Russian GPS jamming
Bulgarian air traffic authorities reported a disruption to the satellite navigation signal during the approach to Plovdiv Airport, prompting an alternative landing using systems independent of GPS. A spokesperson for the European Commission said Sofia suspects “blatant interference” by Russia. Moscow has rejected the allegation. No injuries were reported and operations at the airport resumed.
How planes land safely without GPS and Galileo
Modern airliners use multiple, redundant navigation systems. If GPS or Galileo signals are degraded by jamming or spoofing, crews can revert to Instrument Landing System (ILS) beams, radio beacons and visual procedures.
These ground‑based aids are independent of satellite navigation and are standard backups in civil aviation. The incident in Plovdiv underscores how electronic warfare can complicate operations without compromising safety when procedures and redundancy are in place.
Rising GPS jamming across Eastern Europe and the Baltic Sea region
Since early 2022, EU and Nordic authorities have documented a rise in GPS interference—including jamming and spoofing—especially around the Baltic Sea and along the eastern flank.
Episodes have periodically affected civilian flights, maritime traffic and drones, with aviation authorities issuing advisories and operators adapting routes and procedures. While such interference has not caused accidents, experts warn that frequent disruptions increase operational risk and workload for flight crews and controllers.
EU security agenda: sanctions, defence roadmap and deterrence
The incident occurred as Von der Leyen tours frontline EU member states to highlight the bloc’s defence and security agenda and support for Ukraine. Brussels is preparing a new sanctions package targeting Russia and has advanced joint procurement schemes for European defence.
Von der Leyen has also signalled a defence “roadmap” to be presented at the informal European Council meeting in Denmark on 1 October. The Bulgarian stop included a visit to an arms manufacturer and talks with Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov.
EU institutions and member states are expected to intensify work on counter‑jamming measures, resilience of satellite navigation, and contingency procedures for civil aviation. For the Nordics and the broader EU, the case reinforces an existing focus on hybrid threats and the need for deterrence and redundancy across critical infrastructure.
