Lithuania Closes Vilnius Airport Again Over Mysterious Balloons from Belarus
On the night of Sunday, October 26, Lithuania once again temporarily shut down its main international airport in Vilnius due to the detection of mysterious balloons approaching from Belarus.
This is not the first such incident this year, with nearly 500 similar cases recorded within Lithuanian airspace since the beginning of the year.
Lithuanian authorities state that these aerostats, often used by smugglers to transport cigarettes and other illicit goods, flew in from Belarus.
Interior Minister Vladislav Kondratovich confirmed that the situation remains under constant surveillance and investigations are ongoing.
In connection with these incidents, border control points with Belarus were also closed.
The Lithuanian government points to the Belarusian regime’s inaction, particularly under dictator Alexander Lukashenko, who fails to hinder smuggling activities.
This situation has prompted the government to consider additional measures to enhance security.
In August, Lithuania established a 90 km no-fly zone along the border with Belarus in response to drone incursions from a country allied with Russia.
Moreover, recent breaches—such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) over airports in other EU countries—add to the concerns.
Experts note that such balloon activity has surged recently, with roughly 500 cases recorded in Lithuania this year.
The latest incident occurred just before the writing of this report, with balloons carrying cigarette smuggling detected near Vilnius Airport.
Similar cases have been documented in Latvia and Poland, highlighting the widespread nature of the issue.
The inability of the Belarusian regime to prevent these incursions forces Lithuania to impose flight restrictions, especially as these objects approach Vilnius’s main airport, which is the second busiest in the Baltic states after Riga.
The situation demands urgent governmental response to prevent further airspace violations and safeguard national security.