The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania handed a diplomatic note to Belarus over another incident involving the use of balloons to smuggle contraband. The large-scale launch of objects led to the Vilnius airport being closed three times and disrupted the plans of over 1,700 passengers.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania handed a diplomatic note to the interim chargé d'affaires of Belarus due to another incident involving the use of balloons for smuggling. The large-scale launch of objects from the territory of the neighboring state led to the Vilnius airport being closed three times and disrupted the plans of more than 1.7 thousand passengers. This was reported by LRT, writes UNN.
Details
In its diplomatic appeal, Lithuania emphasized that regular violations of airspace are a gross disregard for international law and pose a direct threat to the safety of civilian flights. The Lithuanian side demands that Minsk immediately cease such provocations and ensure proper control over the state border. As of Wednesday morning, law enforcement officers have found eight balloons, detained four people, and are investigating the circumstances of another "hybrid attack."
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Due to the critical situation with weather balloons, which disorganize the work of the country's main air gates, a state of emergency has been in effect in Lithuania since mid-December. Vilnius warned the Belarusian side that in case of repeated incidents, it reserves the right to introduce strict restrictions on border traffic, as was already practiced in October last year.
Political context and Minsk's promises
It is noteworthy that the activity of contraband launches somewhat decreased after the December visit to Belarus by John Cole, special envoy of US President Donald Trump. At the time, following the negotiations, it was reported that Alexander Lukashenka promised to stop using balloons. However, recent events indicate that Minsk is not fulfilling its obligations.
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Lithuanian politicians regard these actions as part of a broader strategy of hybrid pressure. Currently, the Lithuanian special services are studying the remains of the found aerostats, and border units have been put on high alert for the prompt detection and neutralization of similar objects in the future.
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