German media: von der Leyen's aircraft navigation failed, suspected Russian interference

EU Commission President von der Leyen flew to Bulgaria on Sunday for a visit. Upon arrival, the plane encountered navigation interference, and the crew had to use paper maps as a backup. The EU said this could be deliberate actions by Russia.

EU officials confirmed on Monday that on the afternoon of August 31, Sunday, the aircraft carrying the EU Commission President experienced a GPS navigation service interruption while preparing to land at Plovdiv Airport in Bulgaria.

The EU Commission spokesperson, Arianna Podesta, stated, "We can confirm that there was indeed GPS interference, but the plane landed safely."

The spokesperson said that the EU received intelligence from Bulgarian authorities stating, "They suspect that this open interference was carried out by Russia." She also added, "We are well aware that threats and intimidation are common tactics used in Russia's hostile actions."

Bulgarian official statements said that when the plane approached Plovdiv Airport, "the GPS satellite signal for the plane's navigation was interrupted."

Paper maps came to the rescue

The Financial Times reported that due to the navigation failure, the plane remained in the air for an additional hour. Later, the pilots decided to manually operate the plane using paper maps for landing.

Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria. The airport mainly serves low-cost airlines and chartered flights. The Bulgarian Air Traffic Services Agency stated in a statement to the Financial Times, "Since February 2022, incidents of GPS interference have significantly increased."

Kremlin spokesperson Peskov told the Financial Times, "Your information is incorrect."

Previously, EU governments have warned on multiple occasions that Russia's interference with GPS is escalating, which could lead commercial planes to lose their way mid-flight and potentially cause major aviation disasters.

For a long time, Western officials have accused Moscow of waging "hybrid wars" against European countries, including cyberattacks, espionage, and sabotage activities.

The EU Commission spokesperson said on Monday, "Of course, after this incident, the EU will continue to increase its investment in defense spending and preparedness."

Source: DW

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1842071685315972/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author.