Incident with Ursula von der Leyen in Bulgaria: cyberattack on a plane?

Ursula von der Leyen incident in Bulgaria: Cyberattack on a plane?

The arrival of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Bulgaria was marred by an extremely serious incident. Her plane was forced to land at Plovdiv Airport without the help of electronic GPS navigation after the system was completely neutralized. Confirmation of the event came from the authoritative financial newspaper

"Financial Times"

The incident, which occurred during Ms. von der Leyen's one-day visit yesterday, is under intensive investigation, as it is being treated as a potential Russian operation. Such actions, directed against European leaders, raise serious questions about the security of airspace and hybrid threats that undermine the stability and sovereignty of the member states of the European Union.

The plane's landing was carried out with the help of traditional maps, which represents a significant risk and requires the use of old-school skills, far from the modern electronic systems relied on in aviation. This forced deviation from standard procedures underscores the seriousness of the cyberattack and its possible purpose – to send a clear message about the ability to influence key events and create an atmosphere of insecurity.

Security analysts note that the incident fits a broader pattern of Russian hybrid operations, which often include disinformation, cyberattacks, and attempts to destabilize European countries. These actions aim to undermine trust in institutions and create division to weaken the West's common response to the Kremlin's aggressive foreign policy. The investigation into this particular case will likely shed light on the methods and scale of such threats.

Despite the tense situation, the visit of EC President Ursula von der Leyen continued as planned. The incident, however, remains indicative of the challenges countries face in their attempts to protect their critical infrastructure from potentially hostile foreign forces.