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Lithuania declares state of emergency over smuggling balloons from Belarus
Lithuania announced on Tuesday that it has enacted a state of emergency in response to a series of security threats linked to smuggling balloons allegedly launched from Belarus. According to Lithuanian authorities, traffickers have been using meteorological balloons to transport illegal cigarettes across the border, a tactic that has repeatedly disrupted air traffic and forced temporary shutdowns at Vilnius Airport.
The government stated that the duration of the emergency measure will be determined later. Lithuanian officials argue that the activity represents a growing threat to public safety as well as to national and aviation security.
Belarus, which allowed Russia to use its territory during the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, has denied any involvement in the smuggling operations. Minsk instead accuses Lithuania of provocation, claiming that a Lithuanian drone dropped “extremist materials” on Belarusian territory—an allegation Vilnius firmly rejects as baseless.
As a member of both NATO and the European Union, Lithuania asserts that it is facing a hybrid pressure campaign from its neighbor, which it considers politically motivated. The government maintains that Belarus’s accusations are false and aims to ensure border security amid increasing tensions between the two countries.
