A suspected Russian attack on Ursula von der Leyen’s plane disrupted satellite navigation during the European Commission president’s trip to Bulgaria last week, yet another sign that Russia’s war in Europe might have begun in Ukraine but doesn’t end there. Vladimir Putin is determined to reconstitute a Russian sphere of influence in Eastern Europe, and he is targeting not only the countries that he wants to integrate into his envisioned empire, but also the powers that oppose his dark vision. That puts the European Commission and von der Leyen in his crosshairs.
Unsurprisingly, the Kremlin denied the attack, and considerable uncertainty remains around the incident. But according to EU officials, there is little doubt about the source of the interference with the plane’s navigation system. In fact, it’s not the first time this has happened. Militaries and intelligence services around the world have traditionally used the jamming and spoofing of satellite navigation devices exclusively to prevent attacks and protect military and other sensitive assets. But in recent years, Russia has been using such tactics more widely, attacking civilian infrastructure and disrupting air and maritime transport, especially in Eastern Europe.
Indeed, when the attack on von der Leyen’s plane was reported, the head of the German armed forces, Gen. Carsten Breuer, revealed that he too had been the target of similar attacks in recent months. As recently as June, 13 EU member states jointly called on the European Commission to ramp up its efforts to address such threats. Now, the commission itself has become the latest victim.
