Vilnius Airport reopens after balloon-related airspace disruptions
Lithuania’s Vilnius airport resumed operations on Monday after twice closing temporarily overnight due to balloons entering its airspace, which forced some incoming flights to divert to other cities.
The airport reported on Facebook that airspace restrictions were lifted at 03:25 a.m. local time (01:25 GMT), following earlier temporary closures prompted by “markings typical of balloons moving in the direction of Vilnius Airport,” News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
This was the ninth shutdown at Vilnius airport since early October, amid a spate of incidents across Europe involving drones and balloons, including at airports in Copenhagen and Brussels.
Lithuanian authorities say the balloons are used to transport contraband cigarettes from neighboring Belarus, blaming President Alexander Lukashenko and describing the actions as a form of “hybrid attack.”
In response, Lithuania temporarily closed both crossing points on its border with Belarus last month, though they were reopened earlier this week as air traffic disruptions eased.
Lukashenko dismissed the border closures as a “crazy scam,” accusing Western nations of waging a hybrid war against Belarus and Russia.
The airport continues to monitor the situation closely to prevent further interruptions.
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