Polish authorities seized over 5,000 packs of smuggled cigarettes on 25 December after weather balloons crossed into the country's airspace from Belarus, reports Onet. Officials now suspect the mass smuggling operation may have served as cover for an external provocation.
Podlaskie police recorded balloon landings in several locations. In Goniondz, officers confiscated 2,000 packs at 3 am on 24 December. Another 2,000 packs were found in Zaborow late on 24 December, with an additional 30 packages later discovered in Boguszewo.
The incidents coincided with Russian military activity. Poland's Operational Command of the Armed Forces reported that Polish fighters intercepted and visually identified a Russian reconnaissance aircraft flying near the country's airspace over the Baltic Sea.
Authorities temporarily closed portions of Podlaskie Voivodeship airspace to civilian aircraft during the night of 24-25 December. The restrictions were lifted on the morning of 25 December.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz wrote on X that "the situation is under full control of the army."
The Bureau of National Security (BBN) has highlighted suspicious circumstances. BBN head Sławomir Cenckiewicz briefed President Karol Nawrocki on the events.
"The mass nature of the airspace violation, its occurrence during a particularly festive period, the activity of Russian aircraft in the Baltic, as well as similar incidents in Lithuania may indicate that this was a provocation disguised as a smuggling operation," the BBN stated on X.
Background: Lithuania's balloon crisis
Vilnius International Airport was temporarily closed on the night of 27 October due to balloons flying from Belarus. The airport also suspended operations on the night of 25-26 October, causing flight delays and cancellations.
Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene convened a National Security Commission meeting, which prepared a decision to close the border with Belarus. The measure was approved on 29 October.
Since 27 October, air traffic in Lithuania has been disrupted at least five times by balloons from the Belarusian side.
Border checkpoints "Salcininkai" and "Medininkai" with Belarus were scheduled to remain closed until 30 November 2025, but reopened ahead of schedule on 20 November.
Ruginiene warned that if the situation with contraband balloons from Belarus deteriorates again, authorities reserve the right to reinstate the border closure.
On the evening of 20 November, temporary airspace restrictions were imposed over Vilnius Airport again due to a suspected balloon. The incident repeated 24 hours later, forcing another suspension of operations.
On 30 November, Vilnius International Airport temporarily suspended operations due to suspicious objects in the airspace—preliminarily identified as balloons.
On 9 December, Lithuania declared a nationwide state of emergency due to mass launches of contraband balloons from Belarus, which had repeatedly disrupted Lithuanian airport operations in recent months and posed a threat to national security.
