Spokesman Dmitry Peskov calls reports of interference during EU chief’s Bulgaria visit ‘incorrect’
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Monday denied Russia’s involvement in the failure of GPS navigation systems on the plane carrying European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during her trip to Bulgaria.
“Your information is incorrect,” Peskov told the Financial Times, after reports said the pilots had to rely on paper maps to land safely at Plovdiv airport.
Earlier, European Commission spokeswoman Arianna Podesta said Bulgarian authorities had described the incident as “gross interference by Russia,” though she noted they had not presented evidence.
The Financial Times reported that von der Leyen’s plane experienced GPS failure during landing, prompting suspicions of external jamming.
The incident came as von der Leyen was visiting Bulgaria, where Podesta said the disruption highlighted “everyday threats from Russia and its proxies.”
Von der Leyen’s spokesperson earlier told Anadolu that Bulgarian authorities suspected “blatant interference” by Russia.
She said the event underscored the EU’s commitment to strengthening defense capabilities and supporting Ukraine.
