According to the reports, a plane that transported the president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen was attacked by GPS that tried to land in Bulgaria on Sunday, according to a spokesman for the commission.
The commission received “information from the Bulgarian authorities that they suspect that Russia carried out this shameless interference,” said the deputy director of the European Commission, Arianna Podestà .
The plane landed safely, although a source familiar with the matter told CNN that the pilots trusted paper maps to complete the landing.
Von der Leyen, a solid defender of Ukraine, had been touring the Eastern Member States of the European Union to gather support for kyiv. Recently he attended the summit of the president of the United States, Donald Trump, in Ukraine and urged EU Member States to increase their support for Ukraine against the aggression of Russia.
The incident occurred when its flight approached the Plovdiv International Airport in southern Bulgaria. Podestà said: “This incident underlines the urgency of the current trip of the president to the First Line Member States, where he has seen first -hand the daily threats of Russia and his representatives.”
He later clarified that the flight was a letter and that it was still uncertain if it was directly directed.
Also read: The visit of the Colombian vice president to Nigeria indicates the new diplomatic chapter – Shettima
GPS interference has become a common tool in Russia’s hybrid war strategy, interrupting both aviation and maritime navigation. The authorities in the Baltic and Scandinavian states have repeatedly accused Moscow of such actions, while the researchers in Poland and Germany linked the interruptions of the GPS during a period of study of six months to the Russian operations that involve their excavation of Kalingrad and a fleet of shadow ships.
The European Union has sanctioned entities and individuals linked to the Russian State for similar interference incidents in the past. Podestà added: “This will further reinforce our unwavering commitment to increase our defense and support capabilities to Ukraine.”
Von der Leyen’s trip included stops in Latvia, Finland, Estonia, Poland and Bulgaria, before continuing with Lithuania and Romania on Monday. The visits intended to demonstrate unity and resilience when Russia intensifies attacks against Ukrainian cities and resists high -fire efforts.
Speaking in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, before the incident of the plane became public, von der Leyen reiterated the need for Europe to remain attentive. “(Russian President Vladimir) Putin has not changed, and won’t change. He is a predator. He can only be controlled through strong deterrence,” he said.
Read too Main stories OF Nigerian tribe
Watch the best Nigerian Tribune TV videos