US EditionBelarus leader threatens to seize over 1,000 Lithuanian trucks stuck by closed border
Belarusian President Aliaksandr Lukashenka threatened to confiscate up to 1,200 Lithuanian trucks stranded due to a border closure over smuggled cigarettes in weather balloons.
- On Monday, Belarus' President Aliaksandr Lukashenka threatened to seize over 1,000 Lithuanian trucks stranded in Belarus, saying up to 1,200 big trucks "can't just loiter on the roads."
- On 29 October, Lithuania closed the two crossings after meteorological balloons from Belarus disrupted Vilnius airport and carried smuggled cigarettes, and the closure will last until at least the end of November.
- Erlandas Miknās said the stranded drivers were tired and angry, while Belarusian authorities moved the trucks to paid parking areas and refused to open an evacuation corridor.
- If Lithuania doesn't act in the next few days, Lukashenka warned Belarus could confiscate the vehicles and said he will raise the border closure with Washington.
- Europe is on high alert after drone incursions into NATO airspace since September and some officials called the incidents Moscow testing NATO, while the US nominated John Coale as special envoy to Belarus on Sunday.
23 Articles
23 Articles
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko threatened today to seize about 1,200 Lithuanian trucks detained in Belarus.
Belarus' authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko threatened on Monday to seize more than a thousand Lithuanian trucks stuck at the border, which the Lithuanian government closed in late October after weather balloons carrying smuggled cigarettes from Belarus repeatedly entered the Baltic country. Lukashenko said up to 1,200 Lithuanian trucks were stuck in Belarus because of the border closure, the AP reports.
It's been a week since hot air balloons caught our attention. Not for entertainment, but rather for industrial purposes. Unfortunately, they don't bring joy, but deep concern. Unlike their classic purpose - to provide excitement, adrenaline and enjoy the scenery from a bird's eye view, the latter are designed to create the opposite effect: to disrupt our peace and plans (especially at airports), to distract us and highlight a kind of helplessnes…
Associated Press News
Belarus leader threatens to seize over 1,000 Lithuanian trucks stuck by closed border
Belarus’ authoritarian leader is threatening to seize over 1,000 Lithuanian trucks stranded in the country following the closure of its border with Lithuania after repeated incursions by air balloons carrying smuggled cigarettes.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 45% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
