A recent incident involving the European Commission President’s aircraft has drawn attention to a growing risk in international travel: deliberate interference with satellite navigation systems. The plane, flying into Plovdiv, Bulgaria, temporarily lost its GPS signal due to electronic jamming but landed without issue. Bulgarian authorities later said the disruption was not unusual, describing such interference as a side effect of the ongoing war in Ukraine.
This case is not isolated. Aviation and maritime authorities across Europe have reported an increasing number of GPS disruptions since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Analysts estimate there have been dozens of such events in recent years, affecting flights, shipping routes, and even small private aircraft. Nordic and Baltic nations, in particular, have issued repeated warnings about interference originating near Russian borders.
How GPS jamming works
Satellite navigation relies on faint signals transmitted from orbit. Devices such as aircraft systems, cars, ships, and even smartphones calculate their exact location by comparing timing signals from multiple satellites. These signals, however, are fragile.
Jamming overwhelms the receiver with stronger radio noise, making it impossible to lock onto satellites. Spoofing takes it further by transmitting fake signals that mimic satellites, tricking receivers into reporting false positions. Both techniques have long been used in military operations. For instance, jamming can block incoming drones or missiles, while spoofing can disguise troop or aircraft movements. Experts say such technology has been used not only in Ukraine but also in other conflicts, such as alleged Israeli operations against Iranian air defenses.
Rising incidents across Europe
Countries bordering Russia report sharp increases in interference. Latvia’s communications authority documented more than 800 cases of satellite disruption in 2024, compared with only a few dozen two years earlier. Finland’s national airline even suspended flights to the Estonian city of Tartu after two aircraft struggled to land due to lost GPS guidance. Similarly, Britain’s defense secretary experienced jamming while flying near Russian territory.
The interference is not limited to aviation. Sweden has received reports of ships in the Baltic Sea losing signal, prompting officials to advise sailors to fall back on radar and landmarks. In one case, two German tourists accidentally crossed into Russian airspace in a light aircraft and had to be escorted back. Such episodes underline how civilian safety is affected by what many governments see as deliberate Russian tactics.
Risks and responses
Experts emphasize that aircraft and ships are equipped with backup systems, including radio beacons and inertial navigation, meaning total reliance on satellites is unnecessary. Yet the danger lies in moments of confusion or equipment failure, when loss of GPS could tip a situation into crisis.
Authorities are responding by restricting drone flights near interference hotspots, training crews to operate without GPS, and pressing international organizations to address the issue. While Russia dismisses complaints as political, analysts warn that disruptions serve a dual purpose: defending Russian airspace while sowing uncertainty among its neighbors.
As incidents multiply, the concern is that one miscalculation could lead to a major accident, particularly at sea, where heavy reliance on GPS has become the norm.
