Lithuania's decision to close its border with Belarus will not affect transit to and from Russia's Kaliningrad region, the Foreign Ministry said on Monday.
"No decisions concerning Kaliningrad transit were made at today's meeting of the National Security Commission," Kristina Belikova, an advisor to the foreign minister, told reporters.
The National Security Commission earlier on Monday agreed to close Lithuania's two border checkpoints with Belarus, at Medininkai and Šalčininkai, while allowing certain exceptions.
The checkpoints are currently closed under a decision by the State Border Guard Service (VSAT) commander, which must be renewed every 24 hours. The cabinet is expected to decide on Wednesday whether to extend the closure for a longer period.
According to VSAT, exceptions will apply to diplomats and diplomatic mail, Lithuanian and EU citizens or holders of valid residence permits in Lithuania entering from Belarus, as well as holders of a simplified transit document transiting between Belarus and Kaliningrad.
"This exception applies solely to Russian citizens holding the document in question," VSAT spokesperson Giedrius Mišutis told BNS.
He added that the simplified transit document may be held by drivers of both passenger cars and lorries.
The Šalčininkai and Medininkai checkpoints have been closed since Sunday evening due to weather balloons carrying smuggled cigarettes from Belarus entering Lithuanian airspace.
Lithuania's airports were closed three times over the past weekend because of the balloon threat, disrupting 112 flights and affecting more than 16,500 passengers.
Several dozen smugglers' balloons also crossed into Lithuania in the middle of last week, disrupting operations at Vilnius Airport and affecting about 30 flights and more than 4,000 passengers.
Newsletter
Every Friday morning.
