Italy Weighs Hiding State Flights After Von der Leyen GPS Incident
Italy is now considering a big shift in how it handles state flights, and the move comes after a dramatic incident involving European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen’s plane. Her aircraft, which was headed to Bulgaria just days ago, experienced what officials suspect was Russian interference. The GPS signal guiding the plane was jammed, forcing the pilots to circle before safely landing in Plovdiv.
This was no minor disruption. Von der Leyen is known for her strong criticism of Vladimir Putin and Russia’s war in Ukraine, which makes the timing and target of this interference all the more sensitive. Reports even suggested that, at one point, the crew had to fall back on paper maps and traditional navigation tools to guide the aircraft—something rarely expected in modern aviation.
Because of this, Italy’s defense ministry has confirmed that discussions are underway about how to make these flights less vulnerable. One option being considered is to completely classify state flights. Right now, by law, details about ministers’ travel, especially flights, are made public on the government’s website. That level of openness might soon change. Officials are debating whether information should be withheld from flight-tracking services, such as Flightradar, which make plane movements visible to anyone with an internet connection.
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This isn’t just about Italy. Across Europe, governments are voicing concern over the rise in GPS jamming and spoofing. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, these electronic disruptions have become more frequent, especially near Russian borders. Latvia, Finland, and even the UK have all reported similar incidents, including one last year when a plane carrying Britain’s defense secretary lost satellite navigation while flying near Russian territory.
European leaders are calling this a reckless tactic. NATO’s secretary general, Mark Rutte, said the alliance is taking the matter “very seriously” and working nonstop to prevent future disruptions. Meanwhile, intelligence experts have described the growing pattern as part of a broader Russian strategy to destabilize and intimidate. Moscow, of course, has denied responsibility, dismissing the accusations as “incorrect.”
For Italy, the stakes are high. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s own aircraft was removed from some public tracking platforms earlier this year, but the plane still appeared on other sites. Now, defense officials want to ensure that no state flights—whether carrying the prime minister, cabinet ministers, or other senior officials—are visible at all. That step would mark a significant change in transparency but, as officials argue, a necessary one to guarantee safety.
The broader picture is sobering. The Associated Press has mapped dozens of GPS interference incidents across Europe, painting a clear picture of disruption blamed on Russia. Experts warn that while planes can rely on backup navigation systems, mid-flight jamming raises serious risks. The possibility of an air disaster, while still remote, cannot be ruled out if this trend continues.
Von der Leyen’s experience has therefore become a turning point. It has underscored not only the vulnerabilities of European leaders in the skies but also the urgency for governments to rethink how open they can afford to be about their movements. And as the EU continues to support Ukraine, the battle over the airwaves—quiet, invisible, but dangerous—shows no sign of slowing down.
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