Von Der Leyen plane with GPS disabled on suspicion of Russian interference

The European Commission accuses Kremlin of interfering with the GPS of the plane where it was following Ursula von der Leyen, which landed safely in Bulgaria.

The GPS of the plane used by the president of the European Commission on a visit to Bulgaria was the target of interference and the Bulgarian authorities suspect that it was a Deliberate action from Russiathe community executive told Lusa today.

European Commission source told Lusa that there was an interference with the GPS signal while the plane in which he was traveling Von der Leyen prepared to land, but the aircraft “landed in security”. The pilot had to resort to paper maps to land.

“We received information from the Bulgarian authorities that they suspect it is a Flagrant interference perpetrated by Russia”He said.

The community executive said he was “aware that threats and intimidation are a usual component of hostile actions” of Moscow.

This action “only reinforces the unshakable commitment To increase defense capabilities and support to Ukraine, ”he said.

Ursula von der Leyen felt “the first person the daily threat that Russia and its ‘proxies’ [intermediários] They represent, ”said the same source.

“All GPS in the airport area was dark. It was undeniable interference. Since February 2022, there was a notable increase in cases of interference [de GPS] And recently, for falsification, ”says one of the employees heard by.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejects the accusations, telling the Financial Times that “Your information is incorrect”.

Von der Leyen was flying from Warsaw to Bulgaria to meet the country’s Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov and visit a ammunition factory.

“Putin has not changed and will not change,” the European Commission chairman told reporters while on the ground in Bulgaria on Sunday. “He is a predator. It can only be controlled through strong deterrent. ”