Balloons from Belarus disrupt Lithuanian airport for 2 successive nights and add to tensions
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VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — Flights at Lithuania’s main airport were disrupted on two successive nights in the latest of a string of incidents involving suspected sightings of balloons used to smuggle cigarettes from neighboring Belarus. Authorities plan to discuss possible consequences on Monday.
Vilnius Airport said that air traffic was suspended at 9:35 p.m. on Saturday and airspace over the airport was reopened at 3:30 a.m. Sunday, leading to four flight cancellations and seven diversions. On Friday night, a suspension of similar length at Vilnius Airport and at the airport in Kaunas led to a total of 10 cancellations and four diverted flights.
That followed similar disruption early Wednesday morning and on other recent occasions. Lithuania’s two border crossings with Belarus, at Medininkai and Šalčininkai, were both closed for several hours as a result of each of the balloon incidents before being reopened.
Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė has warned that Lithuania may have to consider shutting its border with Belarus for a longer period. Her government is also considering tougher penalties for smugglers.
Ruginienė convened a meeting of Lithuania’s National Security Commission for Monday to consider possible measures. The government said clear warnings are being sent to Belarus that activities that disrupt strategic facilities such as airports will draw a strict response.
The head of Lithuania’s border guard told public broadcaster LRT last week that, since smuggling balloons were first sighted in 2023, there has been no known case of their being used to transport anything other than illegal cigarettes.
Lithuania, a European Union and NATO member, is located on the Western alliance’s eastern flank. It borders Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave as well as Russia-allied Belarus.