US EditionLithuania shuts airports, Belarus border crossings after balloon sightings
- On Saturday, Vilnius Airport suspended air traffic from 9:35 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. Sunday due to balloons suspected of smuggling cigarettes, causing cancellations and diversions.
- Authorities say the balloons originated near Belarus and are suspected of smuggling cigarettes, causing Medininkai and Šalčininkai border crossings to close for several hours after each incident.
- The Friday disruptions produced measurable cancellations and diversions as suspensions at Vilnius and Kaunas caused 10 cancellations and four diverted flights, following similar Wednesday incidents.
- Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė convened Lithuania's National Security Commission for Monday as authorities plan to discuss consequences, with possible longer border closure and tougher smuggling penalties.
- Since 2023, the head of Lithuania's border guard says balloons have only carried cigarettes, with incidents occurring on Lithuania's eastern flank bordering Russia's Kaliningrad exclave and Belarus in the European Union and NATO context.
114 Articles
114 Articles
Lithuania says it will shoot down Belarus smuggler balloons disrupting air traffic
Lithuania’s Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene said on Monday her country will begin to shoot down smuggler balloons crossing the border from Belarus, which have repeatedly interrupted the Baltic nation’s air traffic.
For the fourth time in a week, there have been reports of balloons over Vilnius Airport. Air traffic has been suspended.
Lithuania Has A 'Cigarette-Smuggling Balloon' Problem With Belarus
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 neighbouring Belarus.
In Lithuania, air operations at Vilnius Airport have been temporarily stopped once more after the sighting of other balloons. This was reported by the operator. It was already the third time within a week that take-offs and landings had to be suspended.
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