NATO is bolstering its measures to fight back against Russia’s interference with civilian flights, which recently hit home when a plane carrying Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, temporarily lost GPS navigation while flying over Bulgaria.
On Tuesday, Secretary General Mark Rutte highlighted the urgency of the situation, noting that Bulgarian officials suspect Russian involvement in the event. While the EU and NATO function as separate organizations with their own membership, security across Europe remains a shared concern.
Fortunately, von der Leyen’s aircraft landed without incident, but Rutte warned that the threat from Russia is broadening and may soon impact all countries in Europe. “We can’t be too naive about this: the risk is real for everyone, even for Luxembourg or the Netherlands,” he affirmed. Rutte pointed out that with advancing Russian missile tech, the time risk for cities like Luxembourg, The Hague, or Madrid is a mere 5 to 10 minutes in case of attack.
He continued, “Anyone living in Europe, whether it’s London or Tallinn, is now part of the eastern flank.”
Why It’s Crucial
The Associated Press has noted nearly 80 mixed incidents tied to Russian disruptions across Europe, sparking concerns termed as “staggeringly reckless” by the chief of Britain’s foreign intelligence. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, officials in the West recognize that Russia, along with its proxies, has been actively engaged in numerous sabotage attempts, which include everything from vandalism to assassination attempts.
The disruptions consist of jamming communications with powerful radio frequencies as well as spoofing techniques that can mislead receivers about their actual position or time.
In response to the reported GPS jamming, the Kremlin dismissed the claims as “incorrect.”
Key Insights
At a recent press conference in Luxembourg alongside high-ranking officials from the duchy, Rutte indicated that the jamming fits within a broader spectrum of Russian “hybrid threats.” He recounted several alarming events, including severed undersea cables in the Baltic Sea, a foiled assassination plot against a German businessman, and a cyberattack targeting Britain’s National Health Service.
On the matter of von der Leyen’s flight jamming, Bulgarian Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov remarked that an investigation is unnecessary since such incidents happen regularly, attributing them to repercussions from the ongoing conflict in Ukraine that have plagued all of Europe.
What They’re Saying
Rutte commented, “I’ve always found the term hybrid misleading—it sounds too friendly. Yet, this is precisely what is happening: jamming commercial planes can lead to catastrophic outcomes. This situation is not taken lightly, and I assure you we are on it, working round the clock to prevent future occurrences.”
In response, Gabrielius Landsbergis, Lithuania’s former foreign minister, expressed his worries on X, stating, “I’m deeply troubled to learn about the GPS interference that diverted @vonderleyen’s flight. Europe must stand united in addressing this serious concern and moving forward with even greater commitment.”
Looking Ahead
Rutte did not provide additional details regarding NATO’s strategies to prevent further jamming of flights by Russia.
Update: As of September 2, 2025, this article has been updated with new information and quotes.
Reported by the Associated Press.
