Lithuania’s government took action on Tuesday by announcing a national emergency due to security concerns stemming from meteorological balloons originating from Belarus, a country aligned with Russia. These balloons have continuously violated Lithuanian airspace in recent weeks, resulting in the disruption of operations at the country’s primary airport and stranding numerous individuals. This move comes as Europe remains vigilant following previous airspace breaches by Russia in the midst of the conflict in Ukraine.
Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė emphasized the need for stringent measures to counter the Belarusian hybrid attack and protect the areas most affected by these actions. The declaration of a national emergency, following a cabinet meeting in the Baltic state, grants the military the authority to patrol border regions alongside other security services and receive additional powers from parliament, such as conducting searches and making arrests, with minimal impact on civilians.
Authorities in Vilnius suspect that the balloons, typically used for smuggling cigarettes into Lithuania, are deliberately disrupting operations and view them as orchestrated acts of interference by Belarus. The Vilnius international airport has faced over 60 hours of closure since October, affecting more than 350 flights and approximately 51,000 passengers due to the threat posed to civil aviation.
Interior Minister Vladislav Kondratovič revealed that Lithuanian prosecutors have initiated an investigation into the balloons, with intelligence services expected to provide insights into potential links with the Minsk regime. Despite these actions, there is no evidence to suggest that Belarus is attempting to halt the senders of these balloons, reinforcing the belief that this constitutes a hybrid attack.
In response to the airspace violations, Lithuanian authorities closed two border crossings in October. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko criticized Lithuania’s border closure as a “mad scam” and part of a “hybrid war” against his country, suggesting that Vilnius should focus on combatting contraband smuggling. Lukashenko denied allegations of hybrid attacks originating from Minsk and dismissed concerns regarding the balloons posing a threat to civil aviation, accusing Vilnius of politicizing the situation.
Lukashenko proposed negotiations between Belarus and Lithuania to address the ongoing tensions. In recent years, Lithuania, Poland, and other EU nations in the region have accused Belarus of engaging in activities aimed at destabilization, including cyberattacks, and orchestrating a surge of migrants from the Middle East and Africa to their borders to incite a migration crisis.
Belarusian political analyst Valery Karbalevich highlighted a correlation between the escalation of the balloon issue and Lukashenko’s success in lifting U.S. sanctions against the national airline Belavia. Karbalevich suggested that Lukashenko’s objective may involve pressuring Lithuania to initiate negotiations by leveraging the balloon situation.