US EditionLithuania draws up plans to shut Belarus border crossings indefinitely after balloon disruptions
- On Sunday, Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene said Lithuania was temporarily closing its borders with Belarus as the Lithuanian security council meets on Monday to decide next steps.
- Authorities trace the problem to balloons launched from Belarus, which Lithuania says are likely used for smuggling cigarettes, with Ruginiene blaming Alexander Lukashenko for allowing them to 'run wild.'
- Vilnius Airport operations were halted when the airspace suspension from 9:42 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. affected 47 flights, and Kaunas Airport was also closed.
- Officials called on tech companies and defense contractors to develop tools to track balloons with GPS trackers and SIM cards, while local officials detected 'several hundred markers' and this year more than 100 arrests with 20 convictions occurred.
- European NATO has grown wary after drone incursions over Poland in September and related airspace violations reported by Denmark, while Baltic states cite repeated breaches linked to Russia and 250 balloons last year.
120 Articles
120 Articles
Lithuania closes border with Belarus after multiple balloons violate airspace
Lithuania has closed its border with Belarus following “constant violations” of its airspace, the country’s foreign ministry announced Monday, at a time when European nations are on high alert for intrusions into their skies.
The tension between Lithuania and Belarus rises again. After days of raids of dozens of balloons in Lithuanian airspace, the government of Vilnius announced the closure of...
The Lithuanian government closed border crossings Friday evening due to multiple balloons smuggling illegal cigarettes from Belarus. The closure will be extended Monday through Wednesday, and possibly longer.
UPDATE: Lithuania To Close Border with Belarus Temporarily
Lithuania’s two Belarus border crossings were closed for several hours after dozens of helium-filled weather balloons entered the country, suspected of being used to smuggle cigarettes. The country’s border guard service decided overnight on Sunday, October 26th, to close the border for 24 hours. Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė said the restrictions will be extended until Wednesday, October 29th, when her cabinet is expected to decide whether to i…
The Baltic State denounces the violation of its airspace, after the arrival of dozens of helium-inflated balloons launched from Belarus, which forced it to close Vilnius airport four times in recent days.
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