Lithuanian officials have reportedly asked the European Union for financial assistance and called for political pressure on Belarus to reduce the volume of smuggling, which is also disrupting the operation of critical infrastructure.
The EU has pledged to help, but admits that this is the first time the bloc has faced such a threat. According to information provided by Lithuanian politicians to the European Parliament, Vilnius airport was closed 15 times between October and December 2025 due to smuggler balloons, disrupting almost 350 flights and affecting more than 50,000 passengers. The longest interruption lasted 11 hours. Lithuanian Transport Minister Juras Taminskas said in Brussels on the 27th of January that the situation is currently under control. He noted that the response algorithm for cases where the appearance of smuggled balloons is detected has been changed to minimize disruption to civil aviation.
However, on the evening of the 27th of January, Vilnius airport had to be closed, and the minister himself was unable to return home at the planned time.
The European Public Prosecutor’s Office has launched an investigation into the smuggling balloon case, which Lithuania calls a hybrid attack. Interior Minister Vladislav Kondratovičs has indicated that the number of incidents could be reduced by wider involvement of law enforcement agencies. The minister stressed that
the goal is to make life as difficult as possible for smugglers and accomplices,
and that criminal networks are being used.
The main thing Lithuania has asked Brussels for is additional funding. Last year, losses related to air traffic disruptions caused by smugglers’ balloons are estimated at 2.5 million euros. Taminskis said that Lithuania will seek additional funding to protect critical infrastructure.
The European Commission has promised to provide assistance, but its spokesman Henrik Nielsen said that the bloc has not previously encountered the use of such equipment, that is, balloons that can reach an altitude of 10 kilometers and move quickly. Previously, it was about flying robots that can fly a few hundred meters with a limited payload.
Lithuania has not yet requested EU support for specific purposes, as it has not been able to find an effective way to neutralize the balloons. Rustamas Liubajevas, the head of the Lithuanian border guard service, said that this requires a comprehensive approach, including in the field of intelligence and the fight against organized crime.
In mid-December, EU foreign ministers agreed that hybrid attacks against Lithuania should be considered grounds for sanctions against Belarus.
Read the whole article in English here: https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/2821122/lithuania-seeks-eu-assistance-over-belarus-smuggler-balloons-but-what-does-it-need
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