Lithuania Closes Border Checkpoints with Belarus

Photo: BELTA

Lithuania has temporarily closed airports in Vilnius and Kaunas and restricted traffic across the border with Belarus.
The reason was the appearance of dozens of helium balloons, allegedly launched by smugglers. The incident forced authorities to tighten security measures, Reuters reported, citing Lithuania’s Ministry of Transport.

The National Crisis Management Center announced that radar systems detected multiple helium balloons violating Lithuanian airspace. As a result, Vilnius and Kaunas airports were closed until late night on October 24. The Vilnius terminal had already been shut down for similar reasons on October 5 and 22. Additional incidents were recorded over the next three consecutive evenings — Friday, Saturday, and Sunday — each time prompting temporary closures of the ground checkpoints Medininkai and Šalčininkai.



The Belarusian State Customs Committee reported that Lithuania had fully suspended border traffic three times over the past week.
On October 22, the closure lasted six hours; on October 25 — from midnight to noon; and again on October 26 — from 11:00 p.m. to 2:30 a.m.
According to the Committee, Lithuania has been closing checkpoints without prior notice, creating difficulties for travelers caught at the crossings. Private car drivers are left stranded, unsure how to proceed. For cargo transport, however, the closures have little additional effect, as traffic on the Lithuanian side remains extremely slow even under normal conditions.

Lithuanian authorities claim that the helium balloons are being launched by smugglers to transport cigarettes across the border. The government of Belarus has also been accused of inaction.
Prime Minister Inga Rugienė announced that a plan has been prepared to prevent similar incidents. The plan includes shooting down balloons that cross from Belarusian airspace and disrupt airport operations. Such incidents are viewed as “hybrid attacks” against the European Union. Lithuania may also consult with NATO partners under Article 4, which allows for discussions of security threats.



The issue is worsening amid a broader rise in similar incidents across Europe. In recent weeks, disruptions have been recorded in Copenhagen, Munich, and across the Baltic states.

In addition, Lithuania lodged a protest with Moscow after two Russian military aircraft entered its airspace.
Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys called the situation a “planned provocation” aimed at destabilizing the region and testing the alliance’s resolve.

President Gitanas Nausėda proposed restricting transit to Kaliningrad and keeping the borders with Belarus closed for an extended period.
Such measures, he said, would help protect the country’s frontiers from further provocations.

“The main priority now is the safety of Lithuanian citizens, and all decisions are based on that,” the government stated.
The Lithuanian authorities are reportedly preparing for an indefinite border closure with Belarus, with limited exceptions for diplomats and citizens of Lithuania and the European Union. A meeting to approve the necessary measures is scheduled for October 29.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko responded by saying that Lithuania’s border closure is part of a “hybrid war” between the European Union and the Chinese economy. He also called Lithuania’s decision “petty.”

“They came up with an absurd excuse — balloons. Even for such a small country as Lithuania, this is small-minded,” the president said.

Lukashenko described the move as “a reckless venture by Vilnius,” reminding that Poland had recently suffered from a similar decision.

“Ignoring the simple truth that one state’s security cannot come at the expense of another is a fatal mistake,” he concluded.

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