In an unusual incident on Saturday evening, weather balloons transporting smuggled cigarettes prompted the temporary closure of Vilnius Airport in Lithuania, causing significant disruption for travelers. Authorities reported that approximately 6,000 passengers on 30 flights were affected by this unexpected event.
According to Darius Buta, spokesperson for the National Crisis Management Center, law enforcement successfully recovered 11 balloons along with around 18,000 packs of contraband cigarettes scattered across various sites. Notably, two of the balloons were observed flying directly over the airport, raising concerns about the smuggling methods employed by criminal networks.
Balloons spotted in Lithuanian airspace
Between 8:45 PM on Saturday and 4:30 AM on Sunday, authorities identified up to 25 balloons traversing Lithuanian skies. This incident coincided with heightened vigilance across Europe due to a series of unauthorized drone sightings that have raised security alarms. EU leaders have attributed these escalating incidents to Russian activities, particularly after a mass drone breach was reported in Poland last month, which Moscow has denied.
Further complicating the security landscape, Lithuania had previously discovered Russian-made drones encroaching on its airspace from Belarus, a close ally of Russia. On July 10, a drone was found, and another incident occurred in early August when a drone crashed at a military training area.
Measures in response to airspace violations
In light of these threats, Lithuania has enacted a 90 km (60 mile) no-fly zone along its border with Belarus. This measure is designed to empower military forces to swiftly address any violations and neutralize unmanned aerial vehicles that might pose risks to national security.
This recent balloon incident adds to a history of similar occurrences, though the scale appears to have diminished over the years. In 2022, Lithuanian officials intercepted 966 hot-air balloons from Belarus, while reports indicate 544 have been documented so far this year. Given that Vilnius is situated only 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the Belarusian border, the proximity continues to be a focal point for law enforcement and security strategies.