Sofia GPS jamming device neutralized in Dragalevtsi complex

GPS jamming Sofia Airport national security signal interference drone protection

Bulgarian security services, including the State Agency for National Security (DANS) and the Ministry of Interior, have neutralized a powerful GPS jamming device located in the Dragalevtsi district of Sofia. The device was found in a heavily guarded private complex and was also linked to a jeep equipped with professional signal-jamming technology.

The interference affected GPS frequencies used by Sofia Airport, aircraft overflying the capital, and local television towers. While Transport Minister Georgi Peev stated that the disruption did not compromise flight safety because aircraft reverted to terrestrial navigation, pilots reported that GPS problems had persisted for at least three days.

Prime Minister Rumen Radev announced that the owners of both the property and the vehicle have been identified. He emphasized that the operation signals a shift in how the state handles influential individuals, stating that the ‘protective umbrella’ previously enjoyed by certain figures is falling.

Experts have proposed various theories regarding the device's purpose, ranging from protecting high-profile convoys against remote detonators and surveillance to serving as a specialized defense system against drone attacks. Investigations are ongoing to determine the technical origins and legal implications of the equipment.

Entities

Communications Regulation Commission · Dragalevtsi · Ministry of Interior · Rumen Radev · Sofia Airport · State Agency for National Security

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[○ 1 SOURCE] Commercial pilots reported GPS problems at Sofia Airport for at least three days prior to the neutralization. www.aerotime.aero
[○ 1 SOURCE] One hypothesis is that the device was a specialized system for protection against drone attacks. pik.bg
[○ 1 SOURCE] Authorities seized a jeep equipped with a professional jamming system and conducted searches in Dragalevtsi and Kapitan Andreevo. burgasmedia.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] The jamming system was likely designed to protect a moving convoy by blocking mobile signals, GPS, and remote detonators. petel.bg
[● 2 SOURCES] The owner of the property and the owner of the vehicle equipped with the jammer have been identified. ruse.news · www.vesti.bg
[○ 1 SOURCE] The interference affected flight management but did not compromise flight safety as aircraft switched to terrestrial navigation. www.aerotime.aero
[● 2 SOURCES] A powerful GPS jammer was located and neutralized in a heavily guarded complex in the Dragalevtsi district of Sofia. burgasmedia.com · www.aerotime.aero
[● 2 SOURCES] The device suppressed GPS frequencies used by Sofia Airport, aircraft overflying the capital, and television towers. burgasmedia.com · www.aerotime.aero