Lithuania has lodged a formal protest with the Belarusian embassy after balloons carrying smuggled goods from Belarus entered its airspace on Tuesday evening, the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry said, according to LRT.
Such balloons, which have repeatedly disrupted airport operations and posed risks to civil aviation, are seen by Lithuanian officials as a hybrid security threat from Minsk.
Largest incursion this year strands 1,700 passengers
Tuesday’s incident was the largest of its kind this year, forcing Vilnius Airport to suspend operations three times and affecting around 1,700 passengers. By Wednesday morning, authorities had recovered eight balloons, detained four people, and found remnants of several others.
The Foreign Ministry told the Belarusian chargé d’affaires that repeated airspace violations are serious breaches of international law and threaten Lithuania’s security. Minsk was urged to immediately prevent further incidents and comply with its obligations to control its airspace and borders.
Incursions resume despite Lukashenka's pledge
The government declared an emergency in mid-December after a series of balloon incursions. Since then, incidents had declined, reportedly following a visit by US envoy John Coale to Belarus, when President Aliaksandr Lukashenka promised to halt balloon flights.
Lithuanian politicians have described the smuggling balloons as a hybrid attack, highlighting the security and operational challenges posed by repeated incursions. Authorities say they reserve the right to reimpose border restrictions or take other measures if violations continue.
