FT: Plane carrying European Commission chief had GPS signal jammed. Russia likely behind it

The plane carrying the head of the European Commission probably encountered GPS interference from Russia. The plane carrying Ursula von der Leyen had to land in Bulgaria using paper maps.

This is reported by the Financial Times, citing sources.

The plane was left without electronic navigation during an approach on Sunday afternoon, August 31. Three officials with knowledge of the incident say they are treating it as Russian interference.

"The entire airport area was left without GPS," said one official.

He added that after an hour of circling the airport, the pilot decided to land the plane manually, using analog maps.

The Bulgarian Air Navigation Service confirmed the incident in a statement to the FT, saying that since February 2022, they have seen a significant increase in GPS jamming and, more recently, signal spoofing.

“Such obstructions interfere with the accurate reception of [GPS] signals, leading to various operational problems for aircraft and ground systems,” the service explains.

At the same time, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the publication that “your information [regarding the incident with the plane carrying Ursula von der Leyen] is incorrect”. The European Commission has not yet commented.

Von der Leyen left Bulgaria on the same plane without incident.

• The FT writes that GPS jamming and spoofing, which distort or block access to the satellite navigation system, have traditionally been used by the military and intelligence services to protect sensitive sites. However, increasingly, such methods are being used by countries, including Russia, to disrupt civilian life.
• GPS jamming incidents have increased significantly in recent years in the Baltic Sea and in Eastern European countries bordering Russia, affecting aircraft, ships and civilians who rely on the service for navigation every day.
• EU governments have warned that such a high number of GPS jamming incidents could lead to a major air disaster, because it effectively "blinds" passenger planes during flight.

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