Lithuania’s border chief says there is no indication that balloons breaching the country’s airspace in recent years have been used for any purpose other than smuggling cigarettes.
Rustamas Liubajevas, head of the State Border Guard Service (VSAT), told public broadcaster LRT that such balloons are simply too unpredictable to be used for anything else.
“Our information and experience show that air balloons have so far been used solely for smuggling,” he said. “They can’t be controlled – they depend entirely on the wind and weather conditions, which makes it very difficult to predict where they will land. That’s why smugglers fit them with GPS transmitters, so that if a balloon comes down, the cargo can later be located.”
Liubajevas added that since the first sightings of smuggling balloons in 2023, there have been no known cases of them being used to transport anything other than illegal cigarettes.
Earlier this week, several dozen such balloons entered Lithuanian airspace early on Wednesday morning, disrupting operations at Vilnius Airport, affecting over 4,000 passengers across 30 flights, and leading to the temporary closure of the two remaining Medininkai and Šalčininkai border crossings with Belarus.
Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė has since warned that if such incidents continue, Lithuania may consider completely shutting its border with Belarus. The government is also weighing tougher penalties for smugglers and exploring technical solutions with local businesses to prevent similar balloon incursions.
Newsletter
Every Friday morning.
