Balloons carrying thousands of packs of cigarettes have disrupted flights in Lithuania, as Vilnius Airport was forced to close for hours when dozens of them floated into the country's airspace. The National Crisis Management Centre (NCMC) reported that 25 meteorological balloons were detected entering Lithuania from neighbouring Belarus, with two ending up directly over the airport. This closure led to 30 flight cancellations affecting 6,000 passengers, with potential delays continuing into Monday. The influx of balloons comes amid heightened tensions in Europe, following drone incursions suspected to be linked to Russia, which have also disrupted air traffic.
Lithuanian authorities noted that up to 14 of the weather balloons launched recently floated over Vilnius, where at least 11 balloons carrying 18,000 packs of black-market cigarettes have since been recovered. Despite the operational chaos, a NCMC spokesperson stated that such balloon-based contraband operations are a known issue in Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland, with 544 balloons recorded entering Lithuania from Belarus this year alone.
These rudimentary smuggling tactics are chosen for their cost-effectiveness over drones, making them appealing to criminal networks. Drones with unclear origins have previously caused airport closures in Denmark, Norway, and Germany, leading European leaders to discuss improving air defense measures given the rising number of airspace violations.
Lithuanian authorities noted that up to 14 of the weather balloons launched recently floated over Vilnius, where at least 11 balloons carrying 18,000 packs of black-market cigarettes have since been recovered. Despite the operational chaos, a NCMC spokesperson stated that such balloon-based contraband operations are a known issue in Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland, with 544 balloons recorded entering Lithuania from Belarus this year alone.
These rudimentary smuggling tactics are chosen for their cost-effectiveness over drones, making them appealing to criminal networks. Drones with unclear origins have previously caused airport closures in Denmark, Norway, and Germany, leading European leaders to discuss improving air defense measures given the rising number of airspace violations.
