Lithuania Closes Two Airports, Border with Belarus Over Repeated Helium Balloon Incursions

Lithuania temporarily closed its Vilnius and Kaunas airports and suspended border crossings with Belarus after multiple helium weather balloons were detected entering its airspace, marking the third such incident this month. These balloons, believed to be used by smugglers to transport Belarusian cigarettes into the European Union, disrupted flights and led to heightened security measures, including border checkpoint closures until Sunday. Lithuanian authorities, including Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė, have criticized Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko's regime for allowing these illegal activities to persist and announced plans for the National Security Commission to consider punitive actions against the smugglers and the Belarusian government. The incidents have contributed to broader regional airspace disruptions in Europe, highlighting ongoing security challenges from air incursions near the Baltic states and other countries. Airports managed flight diversions and passenger transfers to mitigate the impact, yet the repeated closures underscore growing tensions along the Lithuania-Belarus border.