Lithuania’s government announced a state of emergency on Tuesday due to security concerns arising from meteorological balloons originating from Belarus, a country aligned with Russia. The balloons have repeatedly breached Lithuanian airspace in recent weeks, leading to the closure of the main airport and stranding numerous individuals. This situation has heightened Europe’s vigilance following previous airspace infringements during the conflict in Ukraine.
Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė emphasized the necessity of robust measures to counter what is perceived as a hybrid attack from Belarus. The decision to declare a national emergency was made during a cabinet meeting of the Baltic state, a member of NATO and a staunch supporter of Ukraine in its confrontation with Russian forces.
The declaration of a national emergency empowers the military, in collaboration with other uniformed services, to enhance border surveillance and grants additional authorities from parliament, such as conducting searches and detaining individuals. The government assured that the impact on civilians would be minimal.
While the balloons are purportedly used for smuggling contraband into Lithuania, authorities in Vilnius view their presence and flight paths as deliberate disruptions orchestrated by Belarus. The Vilnius international airport has been closed for over 60 hours since October, affecting hundreds of flights and tens of thousands of passengers due to the perceived threat to civil aviation.
Interior Minister Vladislav Kondratovič confirmed that Lithuanian prosecutors initiated an investigation into the balloons, with intelligence services providing insights into their connection with the regime in Minsk. Kondratovič highlighted the absence of efforts by Belarus to curtail the senders of the balloons as evidence of 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 part of a “hybrid war” against his country, rejecting accusations of orchestrating hybrid attacks and downplaying the threat posed by the balloons to civil aviation. Lukashenko urged negotiations between Minsk and Vilnius to resolve the escalating tensions.
In recent years, Lithuania, Poland, and other EU nations in the region have accused Belarus of engaging in activities aimed at destabilizing the region, including cyberattacks and orchestrating migrant crises at their borders. The balloon issue has been perceived as a tactic by Lukashenko to leverage negotiations with the EU following the lifting of U.S. sanctions against the national airline, Belavia.
