Lithuania to keep Belarus border closed until November 30 over balloon incidents
Lithuania announced on Wednesday that its border crossings with Belarus will remain closed to most travelers until the end of November due to airspace disruptions caused by smugglers’ balloons.
Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene said the balloons, which have forced airport shutdowns five times this month, represent a form of hybrid attack, and Lithuanian authorities will begin shooting them down, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
“We understand this will be an inconvenience to our citizens and businesses, and we regret that, but we view security extremely seriously,” Ruginiene said.
The government has allowed exceptions for diplomats, EU and NATO citizens, Ukrainians leaving Belarus, transit to Kaliningrad, and holders of Lithuanian humanitarian visas.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko called the border closure a “crazy scam” and accused the West of waging a hybrid war against Belarus and Russia, marking what he described as a new era of barbed-wire divisions.
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