Russia Accused of Jamming Radar on EU Chief’s Plane Over Bulgaria

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s plane lost electronic navigation aids near a Bulgarian airport, forcing pilots to land using paper maps.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks during a joint news conference with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda at the Border Guard School east of Vilnius, Lithuania, on Sept. 1, 2025. Mindaugas Kulbis/AP Photo

Russia is suspected of conducting an interference attack that disabled the GPS on a plane carrying European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, forcing it to land at a Bulgarian airport.

The plane landed safely at Plovdiv Airport on Aug. 31, and Von der Leyen will continue her planned tour of European Union nations bordering Russia and Belarus, commission spokesperson Arianna Podesta said on Sept. 1.