European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s plane has been targeted in an alleged Russian attack.
According to Newsweek, officials have accused Russia of targeting the EU chief’s jet by GPS jamming as it made an effort to land at an airport in Bulgaria on Sunday, August 31.
Citing an unnamed official, the Financial Times reported the suspected Russian GPS navigation jamming forced the plane to circle at Plovdiv's city airport for about an hour.
The pilot of the plane used paper maps for navigation and safe landing instead of electronic systems.
Arianna Podesta, deputy chief spokesperson for the European Commission, told Newsweek, “We can confirm there was GPS jamming, but the plane landed safe. We have received information from Bulgarian authorities that they suspect this blatant interference was carried out by Russia."
"We are well aware that threats and intimidation are a regular component of Russia's hostile actions. This will further reinforce our unshakeable commitment to ramp up our defense capabilities and support for Ukraine. The EU will continue to invest in defense and in Europe's readiness," she added.
Podesta asserted that the incident highlighted the importance and urgency of the president's current visit to frontline EU member states, where she has directly witnessed the daily threats posed by Russia and its proxies.
European allies oftentimes accuse Russia of employing GPS jamming tactics targeting seaports and airports amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Furthermore, von der Leyen, during her visit on Sunday, met with Bulgarian Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov to discuss boosting defense production. She also criticised Russian President Vladimir Putin for not ending aggression against Ukraine.
