EU chief Ursula von der Leyen was in Bulgaria during a tour of seven countries on the bloc's eastern flank, which are more exposed to Russian hybrid threats Raigo PAJULA

A plane carrying EU chief Ursula von der Leyen was hit by GPS jamming as it readied to land in Bulgaria and Russia was suspected to be behind the incident, the European Commission said Monday.

The commission said Bulgarian authorities believed Moscow was responsible for the incident on Sunday but it was not

"We can indeed confirm that there was GPS jamming," commission spokeswoman Arianna Podesta told a press conference.

The chartered flight landed safely at Plovdiv International Airport, in the south of the country, without having to change route.

Commission president Von der Leyen, 66, was in Bulgaria as part of

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