Reports of GPS Jamming on von der Leyen’s Flight Dismissed

Flight-tracking service Flightradar24 has cast doubt on reports that European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen’s aircraft was forced to land using paper maps in Bulgaria after its GPS system was jammed.

Initial accounts claimed that von der Leyen’s aeroplane, travelling from Warsaw to Plovdiv on August 31, lost satellite navigation signals in a suspected Russian interference operation, leaving pilots reliant on paper maps.

Bulgarian officials confirmed there had been disruptions in the airport’s GPS coverage, while the European Commission suggested Moscow was likely responsible. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed the allegations.