European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's plane was forced to land with only traditional paper charts after GPS systems failed.
The aircraft circled above Plovdiv Airport in Bulgaria for 46 minutes while the crew attempted to navigate without satellite assistance, as the aircraft encountered severe navigation disruption during a flight to the Balkan country on Sunday.
Commission representatives confirmed the GPS interference forced the pilot to rely on analogue navigation methods to complete the landing safely.
The incident occurred as Mrs von der Leyen travelled to the eastern European as part of an extensive diplomatic mission across seven European Union member states bordering or near Russia.
Bulgarian officials have identified Russia as the likely perpetrator behind the navigation system disruption, according to a European Commission spokesman.
The spokesman said: "We can confirm there was GPS jamming, but the plane landed safely. We have received information from Bulgarian authorities that they suspect this blatant interference was carried out by Russia."
The official characterised the incident as "undeniable interference" and noted that "threats and intimidation are a regular component of Russia's hostile actions."
The spokesman emphasised that the suspected sabotage reinforced the European Union's determination to strengthen its defensive capabilities against such hostile activities.
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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's plane was forced to land with only traditional paper charts after GPS systems failed
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Navigation disruption incidents have surged across Eastern Europe and the Baltic region since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Lithuanian authorities reported identifying over ten sites within Russia's Kaliningrad territory "from where Russia is causing this interference."
The country's pilots documented GPS communication failures on more than a thousand occasions during June alone, representing a massive increase from just 46 incidents the previous month.
Finland and Estonia have similarly condemned Moscow for suspected jamming activities throughout the past year.
The aircraft encountered severe navigation disruption during a flight to Bulgaria on Sunday
|REUTERS
The interference overwhelms aircraft GPS receivers with disruptive signals, preventing pilots from determining their position and potentially blocking communication with air traffic controllers.
Mrs Von der Leyen's journey formed part of a major diplomatic initiative to demonstrate European Union solidarity with member states facing Russian threats.
During her visit to the Poland-Belarus frontier on Sunday, she branded Putin a "predator" and warned: "We have to keep the sense of urgency because we know that Putin has not changed and will not change."
Commission representatives confirmed the GPS interference forced the pilot to rely on analogue navigation methods to complete the landing safely
|REUTERS
Her itinerary encompasses Finland, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Bulgaria and Romania.
The tour represents her most substantial diplomatic effort regarding EU security and defence since the immediate aftermath of Russia's Ukrainian invasion.
The GPS disruption occurred shortly after Russian missiles hit both the British Council and EU delegation buildings in Kyiv, prompting Britain and the EU to summon their respective Russian ambassadors.