Lithuania’s Vilnius Airport was forced to halt operations for over an hour on Thursday evening after balloons used by smugglers once again appeared on radar systems, triggering an airspace safety alert. The National Crisis Management Centre confirmed that flights resumed shortly after the objects cleared the area. This comes just hours after Lithuania reopened its border crossings with Belarus, which were earlier shut due to repeated airspace disruptions.

The Lithuanian government has accused smugglers of flying balloons from Belarus carrying contraband cigarettes, describing the activity as a form of “hybrid attack” orchestrated by the regime of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene’s office warned that if such incursions continue, Lithuania may be forced to close all border checkpoints again as a security measure.

Belarus has dismissed the allegations, with Lukashenko calling Lithuania’s response a “crazy scam” and accusing Western nations of waging hybrid warfare against Belarus and Russia. Authorities in Vilnius noted that air traffic disturbance reports had declined in recent weeks, but Thursday’s balloon-triggered closure marked a renewed incident amid ongoing regional tensions.

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