Civil aviation in the Baltic region faces severe disruption, forcing the Lithuanian government to take drastic legal action. On Tuesday, authorities announced a “nationwide emergency situation” to combat a surge of airspace incursions originating from Belarus.
This declaration empowers the military with expanded authority to neutralize aerial threats swiftly.
The crisis centers on waves of weather balloons and drones drifting across the border. While these devices reportedly carry smuggled cigarettes, officials argue the intent goes far deeper than black market trade.
Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene condemned the incursions as a calculated “hybrid attack” designed to unnerve the populace.
Impact on Travel and National Security
The operational fallout has been immediate and costly. Vilnius airport has suffered repeated shutdowns, logging over 60 hours of closure since October due to unauthorized aerial objects. Consequently, approximately 1,000 passengers have faced delays or cancellations.
Finnair has already suspended all evening flights to the capital until late February, citing safety risks.
Data released by officials reveals the sheer scale of the harassment. Nearly 200 drones and approximately 600 balloons have breached Lithuanian airspace this year alone. Security forces have intercepted 11 of these balloons, seizing nearly 40,000 packets of contraband cigarettes.
A Deliberate Campaign of Destabilization?
President Gitanas Nauseda insists these are not random criminal acts. He stated there is evidence suggesting a “deliberate action aimed at destabilizing the situation in Lithuania.”
This Lithuania emergency measure is legally distinct from a full state of emergency, a status last utilized following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. However, it signals a significant escalation in diplomatic tensions.
The friction has already spilled over into ground logistics. Lithuania closed two border checkpoints in late October. In retaliation, Minsk banned Lithuanian trucks, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded. Prime Minister Ruginiene warned that such economic sabotage could eventually be classified as terrorism.
Belarus Denies Involvement
Across the border, the narrative is starkly different. Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko dismissed the allegations on state television. He claimed the balloons pose “no problem” and accused Vilnius of having “politicised” the issue.
Lukashenko, a staunch ally of Vladimir Putin, labeled the accusations “unrealistic.”
Nevertheless, the EU views this as part of a wider pattern. Four years ago, the region faced a similar crisis involving irregular migrants. Today, NATO officials suggest the alliance may need a more “aggressive” or “pro-active” stance against these evolving hybrid threats.
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