European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s plane was forced into a holding pattern over Bulgaria after losing satellite navigation in what officials suspect was a deliberate Russian GPS jamming attack. The incident delayed her arrival in Plovdiv by almost an hour and highlighted the growing threat of electronic warfare spilling into civilian airspace.

A Manual Landing Under Duress

Von der Leyen was on a four-day tour of EU frontline states when her chartered flight lost access to satellite navigation. Pilots were forced to revert to radio beacons and paper charts before making a safe landing. Bulgarian authorities later confirmed the blackout matched previous interference incidents traced to Russian activity in the region.

Escalating Pattern Of Interference

GPS jamming has become increasingly common along Europe’s eastern flank since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Reports from EU member states record thousands of interference cases each month, disrupting both civilian flights and maritime shipping. Officials warn that such attacks are cheap to conduct, highly disruptive, and intended to intimidate governments and erode confidence in public safety.

Political And Security Fallout

Although von der Leyen did not publicly address the incident, she has repeatedly warned of “constant military and hybrid threats” facing the EU’s border states. Brussels has already moved to sanction companies involved in electronic interference and is drafting new aviation-specific safeguards. For many leaders, the jamming serves as a reminder that Russia’s war is not confined to the battlefield but extends into everyday European infrastructure.