Lithuania closes border with Belarus due to balloon invasion

Lithuania plans to close its border with Belarus indefinitely due to repeated balloon incursions carrying contraband.

This was announced by Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene, LRT reports.

According to her, a government meeting will be held on October 29 to discuss this issue.

Last week, Lithuanian airports were closed four times due to the launch of weather balloons carrying smuggled cigarettes from Belarus, causing more than 140 flights to be canceled.

According to Ruginiene, the restrictions will not affect diplomats, and Lithuanian and EU citizens will continue to be able to enter from Belarus.

"All other movements will be stopped. This is a clear signal to Belarus that hybrid attacks will not be tolerated," Ruginiene stressed.

She added that starting Monday, the Lithuanian Armed Forces will take "all necessary measures" to shoot down the balloons.

This week, the government will also consider amendments to the Criminal Code that would impose severe penalties for smuggling, including possible imprisonment.

Lithuania will consult with its allies on the balloon threat, and the Foreign Ministry will coordinate “an additional package of sanctions against Belarus”. The police and the State Border Guard Service have already established joint task forces to combat smuggling.

• On the evening of October 26, flights were suspended at Vilnius Airport. The reason was hot air balloons flying towards the airport. At 04:30 in the morning, aircraft movement was resumed. Due to these restrictions, 13 flights were canceled, 14 were redirected to other airports, and another 20 were delayed.

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