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Lithuania declares state of emergency over smuggling balloons from Belarus
Lithuania declared a state of emergency on Tuesday in response to repeated incursions of weather balloons from Belarus that officials say are being used to smuggle contraband cigarettes, marking an escalation in tensions between the Baltic nation and its authoritarian neighbor.
The Lithuanian government announced the emergency measures due to "threats to public safety" from the smuggled balloons, though the duration of the emergency was not immediately disclosed. The declaration follows months of disruptions at Vilnius International Airport, which has been forced to suspend operations multiple times since mid-October when the balloon incidents intensified.
Mounting economic and aviation toll
According to Lithuania's Interior Ministry, 599 smuggler balloons and 197 drones have crossed into Lithuanian airspace this year, disrupting 320 flights and affecting nearly 47,000 passengers. The incidents have caused almost 60 hours of airport closures, with Lithuanian Airports estimating losses exceeding €750,000.
The most intense incident occurred in late November when at least 60 balloons were launched from Belarus, with 40 reaching areas critical for aviation safety. Saulius Batavičius, CEO of Lithuania's state-owned air navigation company Oro Navigacija, said the balloons were "deliberately launched into dangerous aviation zones at specific calculated intervals".
Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė has characterized the balloon flights as a "hybrid attack" on the country's economy and aviation safety. "Autocrats are once again challenging the strength of the European Union and NATO against hybrid threats," Ruginienė said on social media.
Regional coordination under consideration
Lithuania's Interior Minister Vladislav Kondratovič proposed considering the suspension of passenger bus service between Lithuania and Belarus, though he questioned whether such measures would pressure the Belarusian regime or "fuel hostile sentiment toward the European Union".
Kondratovič said he plans to discuss the proposal with his Polish and Latvian counterparts in Brussels this week, emphasizing that "a joint solution is needed here, not only from Lithuania but also from Latvia and Poland". Latvia is already preparing legislation to terminate regular bus routes to Belarus and Russia based on security concerns.
Belarus has denied responsibility for the balloons and accused Lithuania of provocations, including allegedly sending a drone to drop "extremist material" into Belarusian airspace. The Belarusian government, a close ally of Russia, previously blocked thousands of Lithuanian trucks from leaving its territory after Vilnius temporarily closed border crossings in late October.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the balloon incursions as a "hybrid attack" orchestrated by the administration of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
